Nationwide Strike Halts All Trains

[george]

Many passengers left stranded at Hua Lampong

BANGKOK: -- Many passengers were left stranded at the Hua Lampong Bankok railway station Monday morning after train workers went on strike nationwide against the operation reform plan.

The passengers said the strike caught them off guard.

Many said they would wait at Hua Lampong until the trains resume services but several heeded advice of station officials to turn to use bus services instead.

-- The Nation 2009-06-22

[george]

Strike halts all SRT trains

BANGKOK: -- The labour union of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) began a nationwide strike on Monday in protest against the state enterprise's restructuring plan.

Labour union president Sawit Kaewwan said all SRT employees had stopped working, halting all rail services across the country.

The employees oppose the SRT's plan to allow a private company to manage the operation, he said.

The labour union had previously submitted a proposal to the SRT board on ways to improve organisation and solve debt problems. The board's privatisation plan would lead to higher fares, he said.

Mr Sawit said the duration of the nationwide strike would depend on negotiations with the government and SRT governor Yutthana Thapcharoen.

[more...]

-- Bangkok Post 2009-06-22

[nakedAIR1300]

Awesome, another nail in the coffin

[jimjel]

HO HUM!

[turbotojo]

Awesome, another nail in the coffin

Quite! I thought the coffin lid would be fully nailed shut by now. Maybe there's more to come?

[meelousee]

Oh great!

I use the train exclusively to and from Bangkok central from Hua Take.

So whats the difference?

7 Baht by train 42 min

30 Baht by buss 2hours sometimes more

150 Baht by Van sometimes 1 hour some times 3 hours depends on traffic and weather

Taxi 350

Oddly enough I stand with the workers of the SRT.

Oh well guess I could take a chance on the van but then if it rains and is a payday weekend

Or stay home

[Mai Krap]

Here we go again, restoring confidence into the tourism sector. Maybe they could be bothered to clean the trains while they all sit there going nowhere. Truthfully I'm surprised the train and its tracks are still functional as I have not seen one single improvement done to the railway system since I rode the the train the first time years ago, seems it gets dirtier every year.

Having just ventured off into Malaysia this year they have one of the most beautiful central railway stations in the world and are soon to open high speed rail all the way from Singapore to the border at Hat Yai in Thailand.

[MyphuketLife]

amazing is all I can really say....

[TerraPosse]

Privatising rail services is just such a great way of improving the railways as such illustrious examples as the UK show.

Go, SRT, Go!!!

[frogz]

So the railways will be privatized to 'improve organisation and solve debt problems.' What about the quality service and quality of trains? Will they be improved? I think it's a bit unfair for prices to be increased if the passengers aren't getting a better service. Why should they be expected to pay more for the same service when they know the cash will be paying off debts and any future profits going to share holders and fat cat managers ?

It seems train services do need improving generally across the country. It seems that it is actually quicker to go by bus between cities in Thailand than use the train. I'm not sure how the rest of Asia compares but that does seem a little bit unusual.

If we can have an efficient BTS/MRT service in the capital, why can't there be fast and efficient train services between the provinces?

Increase the fairs but improve the service...seems fair.

[SabaiBKK]

amazing is all I can really say....

i think its a good thing that the SRT employees stand against yet another shady privatisation of a state entreprise ..... mind the vinegar pissers, that the trains , although the cars are old , is one of the best way of transportation in thailand , that the employees are perfect , the sheets in the sleeping cars are clean , and that most sleeping cars have been refurbished after THAI passengers complained of bed bugs ( of course , an inevitable racist one braincelled MP from peua thai blamed it on the farangs , once again ) when it has been proved that bed bugs are inevitable if the matresses are not changed regularly and are not brought by humans but by heat and hydrometric conditions... of course the more dead skin the more food fro them )

and the tourism being already dead , this news will not even make it overseas anyway ( appart from thaivisa relaying it )

[jbaldwin]

Here we go again, restoring confidence into the tourism sector. Maybe they could be bothered to clean the trains while they all sit there going nowhere. Truthfully I'm surprised the train and its tracks are still functional as I have not seen one single improvement done to the railway system since I rode the the train the first time years ago, seems it gets dirtier every year.

Having just ventured off into Malaysia this year they have one of the most beautiful central railway stations in the world and are soon to open high speed rail all the way from Singapore to the border at Hat Yai in Thailand.

Can I asked where you got the information about Malaysia's high speed link. I did an internet search and the only recent reference I could find was this

"There is a bullet train project at 300 km/h (186 mph) proposed to link Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, proposed by current Malaysian operator KLIA Express YTL Corporation, which links Kuala Lumpur with the KLIA. It would be the first transborder high speed line outside of Europe if built. Travel time would be 90 minutes, compared with 4 hours of highway drive, 7 hours currently by standard rail, 2 hours of flight including commuting to and from airport, check in and boarding. Talks of a Bangkok - Kuala Lumpur - Singapore line spanning the 3 nations have been suggested previously, though no action has been taken.

Plans for project were shelved due to high cost that the government would have to bear. The project also faces opposition from rail operator rivals such as Keretapi Tanah Melayu."

[thaibkk]

Amazing country we will live, what is next ... 1 day tourist visa's on your transit way to another not so crazy country ?

[samgrowth]

... Why should they be expected to pay more for the same service when they know the cash will be paying off debts and any future profits going to share holders and fat cat managers ? ...

lol

[Uffeman]

"Increase the fairs but improve the service...seems fair. "

Hear, hear!

Its a pity, it is a lovely way to travel, but sure much could be better as far as cleanliness, speed and so on.

But small steps forward....GO SRT, you have my support

[Hermanus]

Is this not amazing Thailand? Everyday again negative messages in my mailbox, on TV, in the news papers etc.etc

Maybe it is the right time to change to an other country. I have learned my lessons.

To day people from the red team are standing on my corner. Why............. they dont tell.

One thing is for sure......................... trouble again and again.

[sprq]

I don't know what the restructuring plan is but it's absolutely sure that the railway system is a dinosaur and that the union has a lot to do with it stagnating for decades -- easy jobs for life with huge over-staffing, thus they want to keep it that way.. The main reason for its backwardness, however, is the lack of interest by politicians and civil servants in making an efficient modern system. There are a lot more kickbacks in road-building, bus-buying, bus-running, truck-operating, etc than in the railways, so the attention goes to road transport.

As to privatisation, it might work in Thailand but I doubt it. The best railway systems in the world are state-run: look at France, look at Switzerland, look at Japan.

Railways everywhere should be seen as a social good, supported by the taxpayer, as in those countries.

[GraBangkok]

My sympathy for the travelers

Came back from Samui by train 8 months ago with my Daughter, thought she would enjoy the journey.

From the hotel in Chewang to home in Sukhumvit 29 hours door to door

Nightmare!.....but she had fun

[Pierrot]

The government has decided that it will not let Thaksin destroy the country, it will do it itself

Privatizing the railway then selling it off to Singapore ...

I've heard Abhi already contacted Thaksin to get information about renting his house in Hong Kong while Thaksin already asked his fung shui master to make some improvment in the government house. It's called time share, quite popular lately

[delmersomsri]

Didn't they strike about 3 years ago? Oh well! Enjoyed riding the trains many years ago. Family tells me now that there has been little if any repairs and the filth level is almost unbearable. Planned to travel from Bangkok to Khorat this weekend. I'm sure the tour buses will now be packed and the rates will go up. If anyone hears otherwise let me know. Thankfully I'm flexable on my travel dates.

[tomartoh]

The state of the the country in general does lead to some concerns. The railways just being a part of the ongoing problems .

However, many of us have been here long enough to know it might, in many respects be worse elsewhere, ie back in the uk. plus after a number of years it becomes easier to ride the ups and downs and becomes more difficult to leave , having acquired home, family etc etc. , Presuming of course that one can keep obtaining visas.

[Berry]

Here we go again, restoring confidence into the tourism sector. Maybe they could be bothered to clean the trains while they all sit there going nowhere. Truthfully I'm surprised the train and its tracks are still functional as I have not seen one single improvement done to the railway system since I rode the the train the first time years ago, seems it gets dirtier every year.

Having just ventured off into Malaysia this year they have one of the most beautiful central railway stations in the world and are soon to open high speed rail all the way from Singapore to the border at Hat Yai in Thailand.

Can I asked where you got the information about Malaysia's high speed link. I did an internet search and the only recent reference I could find was this

"There is a bullet train project at 300 km/h (186 mph) proposed to link Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, proposed by current Malaysian operator KLIA Express YTL Corporation, which links Kuala Lumpur with the KLIA. It would be the first transborder high speed line outside of Europe if built. Travel time would be 90 minutes, compared with 4 hours of highway drive, 7 hours currently by standard rail, 2 hours of flight including commuting to and from airport, check in and boarding. Talks of a Bangkok - Kuala Lumpur - Singapore line spanning the 3 nations have been suggested previously, though no action has been taken.

Plans for project were shelved due to high cost that the government would have to bear. The project also faces opposition from rail operator rivals such as Keretapi Tanah Melayu."

Yes, Project existed during Badawi's time. Project was 'hijacked' by Khairy J. ( ex PM's nephew) and passed on to YTL. But the key opposition was not KTM but MAS and KLIA. The national airline and the international airport , and therefore the tourism sector , would be the greatest losers. Why ? At 90 mins to Spore, you can access Changi - the real gateway to the world ! It takes me 45mins to get to KLIA from KL ; why not another 45 mins to Changi !

As a business traveller, I love this project and I hope it gets online soon !

[JoeThePoster]

Has the proverbial hit the fan?

[RPCVguy]

I've much appreciated the trains as a safer form of intercity transi than anything by van or bus. The majority of workers were efficient and friendly too. The public sector needs to step up here - and not abandon its responsibilites in a sale to a private concern.

[eggomaniac]

Strike halts all SRT trains

The labour union had previously submitted a proposal to the SRT board on ways to improve organisation and solve debt problems.

<<< DETAILS? plz

[howzat]

Is this not amazing Thailand? Everyday again negative messages in my mailbox, on TV, in the news papers etc.etc

Maybe it is the right time to change to an other country. I have learned my lessons.

To day people from the red team are standing on my corner. Why............. they dont tell.

One thing is for sure......................... trouble again and again.

They don't tell you because they probably don't know.

[dkstoney]

The workers are just scared that they'll actually have to work in a performance oriented workplace if the railroad is privatized. "Sleeping under the carriage again, Somchai? Well, you're FIRED!"

It would be exactly what they need.

[MRFortuner]

I don't see why people would go on strike and demonstrate if they (private sector/government sector) are creating a win - win situation. People have eyes to see what is going on. People no longer just shut up and close one eyes anymore.

Often (not always), there are win - lose situation created on the pretext of "we need to balance the situation". very often winning party is not the employees!!

[lostworm]

I have taken the train three times in seven years. Two times too many. The first was a novelty whilst travelling. The last time, the 'express' train took 16.5 hours from Ayuthaya to Chiang Mai. The first class sleeper is barely different from second class sleeper and a lot more money. Better off taking the VIP 24 or 32 seat buses which average 9 hours with food and drinks included. Of course, if you are in a rush, the plane is always a good option.

[OzMick]

Going back to oz soon, and the fares on the privately built rail sections to both Brisbane and Sydney airports will cost me about the same as a fan-class sleeper from Surat to Bangkok.

Efficient management doesn't have to be private, and the goal of private management changes from best service to highest profit, even if that means sticking it to the customers and the workers.

If you don't like the train, you can fly at 10 times the price, or take a bus and end up a road toll statistic.