SOUTHERN TRAINS

Trains from Hat Yai suspended

By The Nation

Train labour union on Friday morning suspend ten short-route trains from Hat Yai station, claiming the trains' locomotives were in urgent of maintenance.

Transportation Minister Sophon Sarum meanwhile threatened that those who were responsible for the move would be punished if the real reasons behind the suspension were not the maintenance.

"I will set up a team to look into the real reason of the move. If it found that the cited reasons were not true, those who are behind the move would be punished," Sophon said.

In a separate interview, Railway labour union leader Sawit Kaewwan claimed that the suspension was not because they wanted to put pressure on State Railway of Thailand's governor Yutthana Thapcharoen to resign.

Sawit said the decision came right after a train derailed near Khao Tao station in Hua Hin district last week. Seven people were killed and many others injured.

He claimed that most of the existing trains' locomotives needed urgent maintenance to save the lives of passengers.

-- The Nation 2009/10/16

Any update?