The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has received its first Thai-made luxury-class EV passenger train prototype, marking a significant milestone for the country’s rail industry and plans to expand domestic manufacturing. The handover ceremony took place on Friday, July 3, with the prototype set to undergo comprehensive safety testing before entering service on tourism routes. Get today's headlines by email The prototype was officially handed over in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Yodchanan Wongsawat. He said the project supports the government’s policy of turning Thai research into economic value through practical applications. The luxury-class EV passenger train was designed and built entirely in Thailand by Thai researchers and engineers. Yodchanan said the project demonstrated successful collaboration between research institutes and more than 30 private-sector companies, highlighting the country’s growing engineering capabilities. He added that the domestically produced train costs around 30% less than comparable imported models, showing that Thai-made rail products can compete on both quality and price. Looking ahead, he said Thailand’s planned investment in rail infrastructure over the next 20 years is expected to create demand for more than 2,000 passenger carriages. According to Yodchanan, developing a domestic rail manufacturing ecosystem is essential to reducing reliance on imported trains. He said greater local production would encourage manufacturing growth, create jobs, open new career opportunities, support advanced technology transfer and help ensure government spending remains within the Thai economy. SRT governor Anan Phonimdaeng welcomed the delivery of the prototype, noting that its high proportion of locally sourced components would help reduce procurement costs. He said the railway operator will now carry out full safety testing before deploying the train on tourism routes covering distances of around 200 to 500 kilometres. The prototype was developed through cooperation with Joint Venture Sinogen-Pin Petch Co Ltd. It features 25 luxury-class seats, a structure that is 22% lighter than conventional designs and a maximum operating speed of 120 kilometres per hour. The train has already completed more than 10,000 kilometres of operational testing. It also contains domestically manufactured components accounting for 44.1% of the total build and has generated seven additional intellectual property works. The Nation reported that the project is expected to become an important step towards strengthening Thailand’s domestic rail industry through locally developed innovation and technology. Following successful safety certification, the SRT plans to introduce the train on selected tourism routes. Pictures courtesy of The Nation Join the discussion? Already a member? Adapted by ASEAN Now Nation 5 July 2026
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