Thailand to build own trains, expand rail network to 7,500 km

[snoop1130]

 

Thailand is set to advance its railway technology with a government directive for the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and the National Research and Development Institute of Rail Technology (NRDIT) to produce their locomotives and trains.

 

This initiative aims to expand the country’s rail network from its current 4,044 kilometres to 7,500 kilometres in the future.

 

Director of the NRDIT, Julathep Khajornchaiyakul, announced that the institute has been tasked with enhancing the country’s railway technology capabilities. The NRDIT, a key research and development body under the Ministry of Transport, will collaborate with Blue Engineering S.r.l, an Italian company renowned for its expertise in railway design and engineering, said Khajornchaiyakul.

 

“The current government has clear policies for the Ministry of Transport, specifically the SRT and NRDIT, to develop domestic railway manufacturing capabilities. By 2025, we will see a clear operational plan from the NRDIT.”

 

The NRDIT has already submitted its plan to the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council. Once approved, it will be presented to the Ministry of Transport and the Cabinet for budget allocation in 2026.

 

The NRDIT plans to produce its first prototype train within the next two years, by 2026 and 2027. The initial focus will be on diesel multiple units (DMUs), with the first phase of production targeting 50 units over the next three years.

 

Crucial collaboration

 

This development comes at a pivotal time as Thailand’s automotive industry transitions from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles, presenting an opportunity for collaboration between the NRDIT and local automotive manufacturers. Khajornchaiyakul expects Thai people to benefit from domestically produced locomotives.

 

“Thai people will benefit from high-quality, domestically produced trains, and the cost is expected to be approximately 20% lower than imported trains, which currently cost between 140 and 150 million baht per unit.”

 

In conjunction with this technological push, the NRDIT has launched the Think Beyond Track initiative, a creative competition for youth aged 16 to 22 years old in provinces with major railway lines. The competition invites students to submit their ideas for a dream train under the theme, with a total scholarship pool of 420,000 baht available for winners.

 

This initiative aims to foster creativity and skills among young people, potentially contributing to the future development of Thailand’s railway industry. Applications for the Think Beyond Track competition are open from October 24 to November 24, with submissions closing on December 4.

 

Khajornchaiyakul emphasised the strategic timing of this development, noting that the shift in the automotive industry provides an ideal moment for Thailand to enhance its railway manufacturing capabilities.

 

The collaboration with local automotive producers is expected to help sustain Thailand’s automotive industry during this technological transition, reported KhaoSod.

 

By Ryan Turner

 

Source: The Thaiger

-- 2024-10-25

 

 

[MalcolmB]

13 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

the cost is expected to be approximately 20% lower than imported trains, which currently cost between 140 and 150 million baht per unit

Plus all of that money will stay in Thailand.

 

I always enjoy my train trips in Thailand surrounded by stunningly beautiful women.

[Purdey]

Great idea.

I wish the people in the photo didn't look like they had just pulled their thumbs out of the bottoms though.

[dinsdale]

I would like to know where all the money is coming from for all these PTP populist capital works projects. They couldn't even get the hand out they promised fully funded.

Edited October 25 by dinsdale

[BE88]

 

Best wishes to https://www.mesap.it/associati/blue-engineering/

[Mr Meeseeks]

Thais building their own trains 🤣

 

Maybe in 20+ years, but likely never.

[josephbloggs]

1 hour ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Thais building their own trains 🤣

 

Maybe in 20+ years, but likely never.

Why?

[watchcat]

4 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Thais building their own trains 🤣

 

Maybe in 20+ years, but likely never.

 

They're talking about 3 years.

[Nigeone]

4 minutes ago, watchcat said:

 

They're talking about 3 years.

They’ll still be talking about it then too. Think submarines and other crazy schemes .Not sure they have the ability and skill set to do it successfully .

[watchcat]

4 minutes ago, Nigeone said:

Think submarines

 

Agree that was a crazy idea that only will cost taxpayers mony, but some generals will take nice backhanders from this scheme. And the sad part is they will never be used.

[Lee4Life]

11 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

Plus all of that money will stay in Thailand.

 

I always enjoy my train trips in Thailand surrounded by stunningly beautiful women.

  All of that money won't stay in Thailand, unless they are able to manufacture all of the parts needed to assemble trains, such as axles, brakes, engines, and so forth. But I get your point,

 

   You seem to be straying from the point of the article as far as your comment about women goes, the reason for train transportation is to get from point A to point B. You take "admiring the scenery" along the way a bit far.

[hotchilli]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Director of the NRDIT, Julathep Khajornchaiyakul, announced that the institute has been tasked with enhancing the country’s railway technology capabilities. The NRDIT, a key research and development body under the Ministry of Transport, will collaborate with Blue Engineering S.r.l, an Italian company renowned for its expertise in railway design and engineering, said Khajornchaiyakul.

Cheaper to buy used stock from Japan.

[hotchilli]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

“Thai people will benefit from high-quality, domestically produced trains, and the cost is expected to be approximately 20% lower than imported trains,

Allegedly

[mfd101]

There's nothing like ambition to drive an individual forward.

 

But not sure it works at the national level when the relevant organisations are driven by incompetent and corrupt individuals.

[Deez]

If Thais are building them, safety will be secondary, after profit.

[john donson]

good for them

 

cheaper then the chinese one's?

 

maybe they also want to export the built trains?

 

hub of train building, with zero experience off course...

 

now where to download a schematic to use...

[billd766]

21 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

Plus all of that money will stay in Thailand.

 

I always enjoy my train trips in Thailand surrounded by stunningly beautiful women.

According to the Bangkok Post a year ago the SRT cumulative debt was 230 Billion baht which has yet to be repaid. It seems as though the SRT wants to increase the network by 75%, buy new railway rolling stock. engines, carriages, probably new freight rolling stock, all made in Thailand.

 

All this is a great idea and a wonderful plan.

 

The big question is where will the money come from, firstly to pay off the existing debt, secondly and thirdly to pay for all the new staff that will be be required to run the new network.

[billd766]

20 hours ago, dinsdale said:

I would like to know where all the money is coming from for all these PTP populist capital works projects. They couldn't even get the hand out they promised fully funded.

If you read the report carefully, the plan did NOT come from the PTP, but from the SRT and the NRDIT.

[dinsdale]

3 minutes ago, billd766 said:

If you read the report carefully, the plan did NOT come from the PTP, but from the SRT and the NRDIT.

 

21 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and the National Research and Development Institute of Rail Technology (NRDIT)

Both under the Ministry of Transport.

21 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

“The current government has clear policies for the Ministry of Transport, specifically the SRT and NRDIT, to develop domestic railway manufacturing capabilities. By 2025, we will see a clear operational plan from the NRDIT.”

 

 

A plan is just a plan until it gets the green light from the government. In this case it's been green lit from the PTP government.

[Will B Good]

 

 

 

Tremendous amount of engineering know-how required to build this kind of kit.....knowledge built up by countries and companies over decades.

 

Can Thais really do this?

[josephbloggs]

3 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

 

 

 

Tremendous amount of engineering know-how required to build this kind of kit.....knowledge built up by countries and companies over decades.

 

Can Thais really do this?

You've got to start somewhere. A few decades ago Thais couldn't build cars or electronics.

[Will B Good]

1 minute ago, josephbloggs said:

You've got to start somewhere. A few decades ago Thais couldn't build cars or electronics.

 

 

Fair point.

 

 

[JeffersLos]

Going directly from industrial plants to China? 

[Mr Meeseeks]

24 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

You've got to start somewhere. A few decades ago Thais couldn't build cars or electronics.

 

They still can't, not without Western or Japanese oversight, technology and management. 

Edited October 26 by Mr Meeseeks

[Mr Meeseeks]

30 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

 

 

 

Tremendous amount of engineering know-how required to build this kind of kit.....knowledge built up by countries and companies over decades.

 

Can Thais really do this?

 

No.

[Mr Meeseeks]

The diesel multiple units they intend to build will likely be built on tech from the 60's and 70's, retrofitted with modern interiors. 

 

Look at the buses. Built in rural workshops, to no safety standards whatsoever.

 

Expect similar for these trains, if it ever happens, which it won't. 

Edited October 26 by Mr Meeseeks

[billd766]

1 hour ago, dinsdale said:

 

Both under the Ministry of Transport.

 

A plan is just a plan until it gets the green light from the government. In this case it's been green lit from the PTP government.

BTW where will the money come from?

[dinsdale]

1 minute ago, billd766 said:

BTW where will the money come from?

That was exactly my question so I'm not sure why your asking me my own question. I also said they (the govt.) couldn't even full fund the 10K handout and further to this the money for the handout came from borrowing.

[josephbloggs]

1 hour ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

The diesel multiple units they intend to build will likely be built on tech from the 60's and 70's, retrofitted with modern interiors. 

 

Look at the buses. Built in rural workshops, to no safety standards whatsoever.

 

Expect similar for these trains, if it ever happens, which it won't. 

 

What a bundle of joy you are.

[Mr Meeseeks]

1 minute ago, josephbloggs said:

 

What a bundle of joy you are.

 

Just being realistic.

 

My advice to you would be to stick to ad hominems and confused emoticons and leave more challenging topics to the better informed.