What Do You Think Of The State Of The Rail System In Thailand?

[sbk]

Given the latest decisions to break the SRT into separate sections and the subsequent strike by the rail workers, what do you think of state of the rail system?

Do you think changing things will improve service or the govt. shouldn't mess with something that works?

[siam2007]

Given the latest decisions to break the SRT into separate sections and the subsequent strike by the rail workers, what do you think of state of the rail system?

Do you think changing things will improve service or the govt. shouldn't mess with something that works?

I would say it's a rather sad affair, but so it is in Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines....

the only country with an excellent and permanently IMPROVING railway system is China. How lovely to ride one of those speed-trains there.

nevertheless, I really LOVE to ride trains. my favourite for scenery is the short JAKARTA - BANDUNG hop on very very comfortable ARGO GEDE

[Lancelot]

Beats me if service will improve or not. I keep my expectations low, so I am not so easily disappointed.

Actually I've enjoyed ridding the trains aroound Thailand. Yes, they are slow but whats the hurry? And I've enjoyed meeting westerners and Thais and just viewing the scenary

[ThaiEye]

Thailand's rail system is great but needs improving and i think that's all the government is trying to do. Workers worldwide often have troubles accepting a new system with improvenment strategies

Rail strikes are the norm in Europe, Thailand probably gets far less strikes than there too.

In the meantime take the bus, simple as that.

[Koo82]

Better trains. More people will use trains. More money. Why not? Can't understand why they protest.

[tw25rw]

Judging by these pics, it all looks rather decrepit. http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=602347

[MrHammer]

I think the rail system is comfortable and a good way to travel as you get a better feeling of actually going somewhere, but the low price domestic airlines are making taking the train a less attractive choice.

[Briggsy]

I love trains and I've travelled the vast majority of Thailand's rail network.

However I would be lying if I failed to say that

i) the rolling stock and track are in a desperate state with painfully slow trains often breaking down.

ii) despite the very slow scheduled trains, they are still consistently late. Long-distance trains routinely arrive 2 hours late.

iii) SRT staff consistently try to nickel and dime passengers particularly farangs. Examples including demanding small bribes to load freight, banging on your carriage at ridiculous times to ask if you want beer and repeatedly asking if you want F&B up to 15 times.

iv) bedbugs

Having said all that, if time is not a factor, I will catch the train again I'm sure. I particularly like the Chiang Mai to Bangkok run.

[Spee]

i) the rolling stock and track are in a desperate state with painfully slow trains often breaking down.

ii) despite the very slow scheduled trains, they are still consistently late. Long-distance trains routinely arrive 2 hours late.

I agree. I can deal with the age, slowness and conditions of the technology, but being constantly late is a pain for me, especially when very late with completely unpredictable delays. In another thread, I mentioned a Northern Line trip where it took about 2x-3x the scheduled time to get from Rangsit to HL. It would have been better to get off at DM and take a taxi in from there.

I would also add that a train trip is one of the best ways I've seen to get immersed into a segment of Thai society. I've had some pleasant personal experiences during some of my train trips. Met some nice people and had some nice conversations.

Unfortunately, Thai Air only has two flights a day from Phitsanulok, one early in the morning and one early in the evening, which I'm sure is to mostly meet the business commuter demand. But it's hard to fit into the schedule. If they had a mid-day flight, I would most likely choose it over the train.

iv) bedbugs

Yikes. So much for thoughts of an overnight train trip.

[PattayaParent]

Given the latest decisions to break the SRT into separate sections and the subsequent strike by the rail workers, what do you think of state of the rail system?

Do you think changing things will improve service or the govt. shouldn't mess with something that works?

For the few times I've used it (Bangkok to Nong Khai or Butterworth) the railway service has been great.

They should look at the mess that the UK rail service is in to see why it should not be broken up into 2 different responsibilities.

[ccarbaugh]

I commute regularly from Bangkok to Isaan by rail.

I have no dissatisfaction with the price, however, I

would be willing to pay more if the seats/windows/fans...

weren't broken. Also, the train cars have gone decades

without a proper cleaning.

All that said, I too have had some pleasant interpersonal

experience on the train but, I've noticed that when I

go by bus- instead of the train, I arrive on time and

much less exhausted.

[Samuian]

Not beyond repair!

considering the extraordinaire low cost of rail travel...

if there will be significant improvement, it will get costlier...

how much better this will make rail travel?

will improvement take more people off roads?

there is a lot of economical potential in the improvement of the rail infrastructure...

I would give it a "go!"

[orchis]

The government should reinvest in the railways.

Over the years everything (cars, maintenance, tracks, safety, cleaning)

has gone down because of lack of necessary upkeep.

This is similar to infrastructure problems in other countries.

[bob6023]

Dirty,noisy,slow. windows and fans not working.

The capper for me was my wife and I got stuck in BKK and the train was very late so many people just sat on the floor waiting. A very hard a-- cop came along and began motioning for the people to stand. Mind you most had a lot of baggage,which some were sitting on, and were out of the way. No matter this jerk insisted every one stand. That did it for me. no more trains.

[phetaroi]

Dirty,noisy,slow. windows and fans not working.

Well, yes, they are a bit dirty. I like the windows that open in third class so I can take photos out the open windows. The seats are uncomfortable. Somehow, I like it.

But I did have one bad experience. I didn't realize it was a holiday when I arrived at Hualamphong. But, I bought my ticket and I was on car number 11. I walked past cars 1-8...end of train. No cars 9, 10, or 11. Everyone was crowding on the cars that were there, so they were packed absolutely tight standing. Finally, I just got off and returned to my hotel.

[sbk]

I have to admit, I haven't taken the trains in a couple of years. They always seem to be at the very least a half an hour late, and while I can sleep on the berths, the toilets are, frankly, appalling.

So, I don't know if this split will improve things or not, but some upgrades on the cars and the timetables would help things alot and perhaps bring me back to using the train again.

[cognos]

..if it aint broke don't fix it I LOVE the LOS train system..been back and forth from CM to BKK and BKK to nakorn si thammarat several times.. the second class sleeper is quite good..the upper bunk is a little cramped..pissed farang tourists can be a little irritating at times..SORRY,but..especially germans and aussies from my experience..only took 1'st class once with the wife..woke up several times in the night and the door was open ..it 'Unlocked" itself somehow..my bpen rai i guess..on another note: took a train in China from Xiamen to Shanghai..more leg room for tall people ( Im only 5' 9",so its fine for me on LOS trains) but it was like going back to 1970.

[tombkkDE]

Its nostalgic - but pretty much outdated

[Datsun240Z]

The things that run on the tracks in Thailand, we have in a museum. Anyhow, gotta love it's nostalgic, I like it.

[Aryanwynn]

O boy this thread has got me panic stricken. I have just booked an overnight for us and 3 kids to Surat Thani - thought it would be a nice way to meet some locals! What do I do - go armed with Insect Spray and leave my watch at home, or cancel?

[Datsun240Z]

No it's fun, go

[DMasut]

Railway system is still the safest and least expensive way to travel in Thailand.

Safer than airlines...and exponentially safer than cars, buses, taxi, tuk tuk, motorcycles.

I think if the government can get a better grasp of Macro Economics they would realize greatly improving the railway system throughout the whole country would save money and energy, increase transit, industry and commerce and be an incredible way to encourage more tourist travel and spending within the country.

Not doing so it ... well... PRETTY MUCH THE OPPOSITE.

Which seems to be the sad reality.

If for nothing else, Thaksin understood this when he pushed through the BTS & MRT Programs...

Any of you remember trying to navigate Bangkok prior to BTS or MRT can only agree it was a great improvement.

BUT AGAIN PROOF THAT PEOPLE, GOVERNMENTS AND COMMON SENSE RARELY EXIST IN THE SAME SPACE AND TIME CONTINUUM.

So where does that leave us? :D

[phetaroi]

Railway system is still the safest and least expensive way to travel in Thailand.

Agreed, although there are many areas inaccessible by rail.

Safer than airlines...and exponentially safer than cars, buses, taxi, tuk tuk, motorcycles.

Agreed.

I think if the government can get a better grasp of Macro Economics they would realize greatly improving the railway system throughout the whole country would save money and energy, increase transit, industry and commerce and be an incredible way to encourage more tourist travel and spending within the country.

Overall agreed, not to mention creating many jobs. Not sure you can cite tourist travel as consistently "holding up" the economics of train travel in most (or at least many) countries.

If for nothing else, Thaksin understood this when he pushed through the BTS & MRT Programs...

Interesting revisionist history. Taksin became PM in 2001. Skytrain's first section opened in 1999. Taksin was accused of delaying extensions of the Skytrain to delay and punish the subway system, a project mostly of the Democrats.

Any of you remember trying to navigate Bangkok prior to BTS or MRT can only agree it was a great improvement.

Very true.

BUT AGAIN PROOF THAT PEOPLE, GOVERNMENTS AND COMMON SENSE RARELY EXIST IN THE SAME SPACE AND TIME CONTINUUM.

An old adage that is probably true as often as it is false. You imply that "the people" are often ahead of "the government". Probably true, and thank god governments don't act on the every whim of the people.

So where does that leave us?

[irishbri]

The reason that the train system still works is the same reason why the cars are grubby and unreliable, and that is that nobody has tried to fix it.

If they try to repair and clean up what they already have, it will cost a fortune and be a shambles.

If they buy new stock, it will cost a fortune and be a shambles ("well my cousin owns a freight company and can get trains cost price from Albania").

Either way, the cost of tickets will increase and the people will probably catch the bus and put more traffic on the roads.

I know it sounds pessimistic but you know its true. Just try getting something repaired. my newly installed peep hole in the door needed filler and paint to repair the damage to the door and now sits at a funny angle and off centre. If folks cant even drill a 13mm hole in soft wood, how are they going to fare on a nationwide rail network....(and before you ask, i am now the owner of a lovely new drill with a full set of bits).

Edited June 28, 2009 by irishbri

[sbk]

O boy this thread has got me panic stricken. I have just booked an overnight for us and 3 kids to Surat Thani - thought it would be a nice way to meet some locals! What do I do - go armed with Insect Spray and leave my watch at home, or cancel?

I've never had anything stolen while on the train whereas passengers that take the non-govt buses that run out of Khao San road constantly report thefts.

No, it will be fun for your kids, I took my 4 year old nephew on the sleeper train and he loved it.

Its just that for those of us that constantly use transport in Thailand, the romance of the train journey has worn off.

[Kf6vci]

I love the overnight train from BKK to Udon Thani. You get a bed, they have food and cold beer and a real shower. Toilets are all stainless steel and surprisingly clean. Try it -

Longer rides like BKK - Pattaya are kinda uncomfortable on the seats.

Those stinking Diesel generators might be replaced with batteries and they could replace the lights with more efficient LED.

The staff has been exceedingly helpful e.g. alerting passengers when their station comes. But their computer system sucks. One cannot even buy a ticket at Don Mueang via Makkasan to Pattaya. Instead, buy DON MUEANG - MAKKASAN and at M. one to PATTAYA.

the rolling stocks seems to be rather old - never saw a new locomotive or a new wagon yet.

[phetaroi]

I've never had anything stolen while on the train whereas passengers that take the non-govt buses that run out of Khao San road constantly report thefts.

Quite the opposite happened to me, in fact. I had gone up to Ayutthaya for a few days and was waiting at the train station to come back to Bangkok. I inadvertently left my rather expensive camera on the seat in the waiting room and walked out on the platform. About 10 minutes later a man tapped me on my shoulder, spoke no English (of course), and handed me my camera.

[Bagwan]

Dare one hope that full consideration during the discussions regarding modernisation is given to a monorail system? Would construction costs be less? Would line speeds increase dramatically given that there need be no great reduction for turns and bends in the lines? Would it help in separating the railway from the road system and prevent encroachment?

A quantum leap I know but how about joining the 21st century? Maybe some rail buff will shoot me down? All part of my further education, if so.

[Datsun240Z]

Dare one hope that full consideration during the discussions regarding modernisation is given to a monorail system? Would construction costs be less? Would line speeds increase dramatically....

Look at Japan, they have an airport link monorail train going up to 400 km/h.

Imagine BKK- Chang Mai in 1,5 hour!

[WAERTH]

That is in China, Shanghai. And it is a Maglev (Magnetic Levitation). Monorails do not attain those speeds and are used for innercity LOW capacity lines only (only Kuala Lumpur has a big monorail system). The problem with monorails is that their capacity is lower than a subway/skytrain system (throughput of pax per hour on a line)

Waerth