Minister of Transport reveals plans to improve Thai railways

[Lite Beer]

Minister of Transport reveals plans to improve Thai railways

BANGKOK, 20 August 2013 (NNT) – The Minister of Transport reveals plans to improve train services as several flaws have been discovered during his recent inspection.

Mr. Chadchart Sittipunt, Minister of Transport, told a meeting of high-ranking Transport officials that subsequent to his inspection trip on a 3rd class train from Bangkok to Surin Province, he found several weak points of service that need to be addressed urgently. The Minister also asked the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and Transport Co., Ltd. to improve the cleanliness of public rest rooms and review the collection of 3 baht on each toilet use at train and bus terminals. The minister was of the opinion that lavatory service is a standard amenity for passengers, and they should not be charged from using it.

The minister also urged the SRT to address public complaints about intoxicated passengers and vendors who cause nuisance on the train at each stop. The minister instructed related officials to solve both of the problems within one month.

As for long term improvement, the SRT has been assigned to renovate locomotives and increase the number of staff in areas where there is a shortage, and to restore the image of Thai rail service. The SRT has also been instructed to study a new marketing plan to attract more passengers.

At the meeting, the minister also assigned the SRT and the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) to review the free train and bus schemes which will expire at the end of September, and also to look for other measures as alternative ways to relieve people’s burden on transport cost. If no alternative schemes are introduced by the end of September, the Transport Ministry might have to extend the free train and bus service for low income people by another six months.

Minister Chadchart also instructed the Expressway and Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand to urgently inform users of toll ways, particularly those holding an Easy Pass, about the current improvement of the toll collection system to accommodate an increase of up to 500,000 cars on the system this year. Easy Pass holders might have experienced some difficulties in refilling the toll way pass pending the improvement.

-- NNT 2013-08-20

[laurentbkk]

Easy pass is good actually but before we could fill it up at any toll booth, now not so practical to go to dingDaeng office but that's fine.. the staff there are very nice ... Train in Thailand should increase in quality to be able to absorb the 4 millions tourists extra who plan to come every year starting 2014

[Emdog]

No mention of maintaining the roadbeds, but I guess those dirty bathrooms are the cause of derailments?

[isaanbrit]

I know - let's ban booze on trains even though there's really not that much of a problem with drunks on a train. That'll be an easy browny point for them

BS

[IsaanUSA]

So his plan to improve the railways is to better train (pun not intended) staff and make the toilets free of charge? How about real changes? I understand that would cost a lot of money, but come on!