Services To Resume Today As Govt Ready To Deploy Forces

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RAILWAY STAND-OFF

Services to resume today as govt ready to deploy forces

By WATCHARAPONG THONGRUNG

THE NATION

Most workers cooperative, but Hat Yai staff holding out

All trains, including those on southern routes, will resume normal operations today, as the government is ready to deploy police and military forces to end the five-day strike that has inconvenienced commuters and other travellers and disrupted goods shipments.

State Railway of Thailand (SRT) chairman Tawalyarat Onsira said workers at all main stations, apart from those in Hat Yai, had agreed to cooperate.

Patrol police will escort trains past Hat Yai, where most of the rebellious union members are stationed, to the southernmost station in Sungai Kolok, in Narathiwat province.

"The southern trains had been stopped at Surat Thani out of fear that when they reached Hat Yai, the locomotives would be seized by the workers there. To date, they have seized four locomotives. But tomorrow, the services will resume, as the government has to ease the troubles of commuters, particularly those riding on free trains," Tawalyarat said in a phone interview yesterday.

He said the SRT had the government's green light to resume services, as yielding to the union's demands would pose a long-term problem for nationwide train services.

He added that the authorities' filing of a charge on Monday had scared off the union, which did not in the event seize control of the country's main station at Hualamphong as it had threatened to do.

While stating that the trouble was partially caused by Sawit Kaewwan, the union leader who is also chairman of the SRT's savings cooperative, the state railroad chief said the SRT was ready for damage claims from those inconvenienced by the strike.

Transport Minister Sophon Saram yesterday said on television that the ministry would use police and military force to seize the locomotives confiscated by the striking workers.

He also accused union leader Sawit of lying by stating that all the locomotives were in need of repair.

The Cabinet yesterday endorsed a revision of the SRT's recruitment rules, allowing the agency to hire retired drivers and 170 graduates from the train academy for a short period.

Sophon urged all drivers to return to work.

"Our policy is to seek compromise, but this depends on the rules. Service must be resumed, and then there can be negotiations. All drivers need to uphold their duty and cannot [in effect] take passengers hostage," he said.

He said since the accident in Prachuap Khiri Khan on October 4, the ministry had been ordered by the Cabinet to complete the SRT's restructuring plan within three weeks. He said a restructuring of the agency was essential.

PORTS REPORT DELAYS

Meanwhile, the Port Authority of Thailand reported the rail strike had led to delays in shipments destined for Klong Toei and Laem Chabang ports, as they were stuck at Surat Thani train station.

The Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning yesterday suggested the SRT be upgraded into a department of the Transport Ministry.

Deputy director Chula Sukmanop said the upgrade would lead to better management of the national railroad network, while its funding costs would be lower.

"[Due to its importance], the SRT should be like the Highways Department and the Airport Transport Department, as it is supposed to be the regulator and not just the operator of rail services," he said.

A study by the Thailand Development Research Institute showed the proposed railway department under the ministry should be responsible for development of rail infrastructure, as well as signalling, stations and other key components of the rail service.

It should also have subsidiaries for running the train service, property management and so on.

In the next stage, the government should invite private firms to form joint ventures to run the rail service, the study said.

-- The Nation 2009/10/21