Mammoth Budget Asked To Revamp Thailand's Railway Service

[webfact]

Mammoth budget asked to revamp Thailand's railway service

BANGKOK, Sept 28 – The nearly Bt200 billion allocated by the government to improve Thailand’s railway system and finance a five-year restructuring plan will involve the purchase of new locomotives, construction of parallel railways, improvements of existing rail track, signal system and telecommunications, according to State Railway of Thailand (SRT) deputy governor Viroj Triampongpan.

The investment budget is Bt176.8 billion and the improvements and restructuring are expected to take several years to complete.

Mr Viroj said the SRT will fully utilise its resources to improve service for passengers, starting with developing railway service on four important routes: Bangkok-Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai-Bangkok, Bangkok-Butterworth and Butterworth-Bangkok.

The SRT will emphasise cleanliness, punctuality and friendly service, he said, adding that internet wi-fi will also be available on the four routes.

He said dual track service has already begun on the Chachoengsao-Sri Racha route while a daily container-freight service, operated between Ladkrabang and Laem Chabang deep sea port, will increase from 28 trains to 30 trains in September-October, to 32 trains in November-December and 34 trains within next February.

Container-freight trains will be attached to passenger trains on several routes including the Thonburi-Prachuab Kirikhan-Thonburi, Thonburi-Lang Suan-Thonburi, Chumphon-Hat Yai-Chumphon, Bangkok-Surin-Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima-Nong Khai-Nakhon Ratchasima lines. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-09-28

[Thai at Heart]

Funny how gazzilion baht for rice is acceptable, but for trains a similar amount is gargantuan.

[dcutman]

Reading this article, one can assume that the improved track and the new parallel track is going to be narrow gauge. So if/when a high speed trains come into the mix, are there going 4 parallel tracks. 2 narrow and 2 standard gauge tracks?

[asiawatcher]

It needs to be upgraded but the numbers and the motivation seem highly suspect (as usual).

[zakk9]

"The SRT will emphasise cleanliness, punctuality and friendly service, he said, adding that internet wi-fi will also be available on the four routes."

This is so far from today's standard that it's not even on the same planet. The new dual track to Chachoengsao has been ready for years, but nothing has been done with the rolling stock and the last train still leaves Bangkok around 18.25 hrs. The train services in Thailand are bad even for a third world country.

[Pib]

No doubt about it, the Thai railway system has needed major upgrades forever, especially parallel tracks so two-way train traffic is possible 24/7. Yeap, major upgrades have been needed forever....when I first visited Thailand in the early 1970s the rail way system was piss-poor and it's still pretty much in that condition.

[madmitch]

"Mr Viroj said the SRT will fully utilise its resources to improve service for passengers, starting with developing railway service on four important routes: Bangkok-Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai-Bangkok, Bangkok-Butterworth and Butterworth-Bangkok."

In my eyes this isn't four routes but two!

[Buchholz]

The nearly Bt200 billion allocated by the government to improve Thailand's railway system

When coupled with the expenditure for the other addition to Thailand's railway system

High-speed rail carries high price tag

webfact

Posted 2012-08-06

The Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning has proposed four new routes from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Nong Khai, Rayong and Padang Besar. The Bt800-billion project covers every key section of the country - North, Northeast, South and Eastern Seaboard.

the much sought after Trillion (or nearly) is reached

.

[Buchholz]

"Mr Viroj said the SRT will fully utilise its resources to improve service for passengers, starting with developing railway service on four important routes: Bangkok-Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai-Bangkok, Bangkok-Butterworth and Butterworth-Bangkok."

In my eyes this isn't four routes but two!

shhhh.... otherwise, they'll have to cut the budget in half.

.

[zakk9]

"Mr Viroj said the SRT will fully utilise its resources to improve service for passengers, starting with developing railway service on four important routes: Bangkok-Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai-Bangkok, Bangkok-Butterworth and Butterworth-Bangkok."

In my eyes this isn't four routes but two!

WOW... you're rather sharp. Maybe you should become transport minister... lol

[zakk9]

What will happen is that they'll set aside the money, but after a couple of years, when everybody's pockets have been stuffed with most of it, they'll buy some second hand trains from North Korea when they upgrade to high speed trains.

[Theboy]

Reading this article, one can assume that the improved track and the new parallel track is going to be narrow gauge. So if/when a high speed trains come into the mix, are there going 4 parallel tracks. 2 narrow and 2 standard gauge tracks?

If only Thailand had been colonised properly (say by the Brits) then we would have a decent rail system with the correct gauge

[hanuman2543]

Looks like there is a lot of money to be made for the "right" people

[ratcatcher]

Whenever I see these words "Mammoth Budget", three things come to mind.

Edited September 28, 2012 by ratcatcher

[punisher]

Looks like there is a lot of money to be made for the "right" people

Don't worry it will never happen,truck mafia pays billions in bribes,so no modern railway can't be build

[Johpa]

..when I first visited Thailand in the early 1970s the rail way system was piss-poor and it's still pretty much in that condition.

Poppycock! Throughout the 1980s I use to ride the trains on a regular basis on my quarterly visa runs. I had to go from Chiang Mai down to Hat Yai as there were no visa runs to Mae Sai or into Laos back then. The trains always seemed to depart and arrive on time. The second class sleepers were always clean and the food in the dining car was usually quite good.

[nonthaburial]

I think we al know where the bulk of this money will go. The management of SRT from the top are totally corrupt. I have known for many years a company who has been very successful over the years in quoting, bidding and supplying SRT for railway wheels. Two weeks ago my friend was informed that another bid would take place , but a VERY senior member of SRT made it very clear that if my friends company won the bid, he would not sign the order. It was later found out that this very same VERY senior member had contacted the supplier my friend uses in China, asking them to sell directly to HIS own company. Even though he is very aware that my friend is the sole distributor for the supplier in Thailand

Typical business in Thailand it stinks and SRT are one of the smelliest

[Psych01]

Lest we forget the amount of bus routes and companies!

[alant]

Reading this article, one can assume that the improved track and the new parallel track is going to be narrow gauge. So if/when a high speed trains come into the mix, are there going 4 parallel tracks. 2 narrow and 2 standard gauge tracks?

If only Thailand had been colonised properly (say by the Brits) then we would have a decent rail system with the correct gauge

if memory serves me well, I think the Thais contracted the Brits to build the original one.

What makes this less than credible to me is that year after year the rain washes away the earth making the Lampang to ChiangMai section of the Bangkok to ChiangMai route impassable. For years they have not solved this problem which I imagine is rather less of an engineering feat than the new build...

[samjaidee]

"The SRT will emphasise cleanliness, punctuality and friendly service, he said, adding that internet wi-fi will also be available on the four routes."

This is so far from today's standard that it's not even on the same planet. The new dual track to Chachoengsao has been ready for years, but nothing has been done with the rolling stock and the last train still leaves Bangkok around 18.25 hrs. The train services in Thailand are bad even for a third world country.

You've obviously never been to Vietnam.

[MaxLee]

Taking a train in swampy, floody Thailand is a trip to heaven

[TheKrayTriplet]

"Mr Viroj said the SRT will fully utilise its resources to improve service for passengers, starting with developing railway service on four important routes: Bangkok-Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai-Bangkok, Bangkok-Butterworth and Butterworth-Bangkok."

In my eyes this isn't four routes but two!

Maybe it's something to do with the signalling, uplines and downlines or something like that. If anyone is that interested they can look here

http://www.railway-technical.com/sigtxt5.shtml

I got bored very quickly.

[MaxLee]

Infrastructure for a decent train system is too stone aged outdated and fragile. The money invested will go to the money hungry politicians right under the table anyway...

[cup-O-coffee]

It makes me think of this:

Thailand's Bt120 Billion Anti-Flood Budget Exhausted

[Macmundi]

For the same amount of money they can consider HSR, if no need to pay the undertable money. With this amount, honestly speaking, most of it will be eaten up in the corruption process, therefore, you can only expect to see WiFi on an improved choo-choo.

[zakk9]

"The SRT will emphasise cleanliness, punctuality and friendly service, he said, adding that internet wi-fi will also be available on the four routes."

This is so far from today's standard that it's not even on the same planet. The new dual track to Chachoengsao has been ready for years, but nothing has been done with the rolling stock and the last train still leaves Bangkok around 18.25 hrs. The train services in Thailand are bad even for a third world country.

You've obviously never been to Vietnam.

Yes, I have, and I've taken trains there (northbound from Hanoi and back) and they were much cleaner and much more comfortable than anything I've taken here the last 10 years. To me, it seems as if the standard of maintenance has gone down a lot lately. 10-15 years ago, I went by train to Chiang Mai and Butterworth and it was an enjoyable experience. Not so anymore. Ever tried the train to Aranya Pratet? That's a complete farce, but I must admit that it has a certain entertainment value. 5-6 hours of comedy for less than 50 baht is quite a bargain, the best part being the (mainly female) students travelling between Prachinburi and Kabinburi every day

[OzMick]

More and more conflicting announcements, some with little detail, some with obvious errors like standard gauge to match neighbouring countries. Last heard the double track upgrade planned southward to Pedang Besar will now stop at Hua Hin.

Meanwhile, while travelling in Malaysia last weekend I observed REAL progress, a new double track parallel to the existing line, with what looked suspiciously like poles for electrification. This was just south of Alor Star, so I can guess where the big improvement in the Butterworth service is coming from.

[sprq]

..when I first visited Thailand in the early 1970s the rail way system was piss-poor and it's still pretty much in that condition.

Poppycock! Throughout the 1980s I use to ride the trains on a regular basis on my quarterly visa runs. I had to go from Chiang Mai down to Hat Yai as there were no visa runs to Mae Sai or into Laos back then. The trains always seemed to depart and arrive on time. The second class sleepers were always clean and the food in the dining car was usually quite good.

Yes, for a third world railway system in the 1980s, the SRT wasn't bad, old-fashioned but working well. Two decades later it ought to be in a totally upgraded condition, but instead it's rattling along in a worse condtion than in the 1980s with virtually the same tracks, rolling stock, stations, staff, etc etc.

[khunken]

To be fair, the state of the railways is not all the SRT's fault. For decades all governments have forced the company to run at a huge loss by starving it of funds & keeping the fares at a loss-making level. As well, just like most semi-government bodies here, it has been used as a dumping ground for brown-nosed sycophants.

I hope they defer the silly idea of high-speed trains for decades and allow the current system to be upgraded to normal speed, which this article seems to indicate.

[JAG]

If only Thailand had been colonised properly (say by the Brits) then we would have a decent rail system with the correct gauge

A bit like Malaysia and Burma then?

Edited September 28, 2012 by JAG