Thai Transport Minister gives State Railway 1 month to improve

[boomerangutang]

Sorry to say, I don't have much faith in Thai engineers getting the right things done.

A few mentions of roads in Chiang Rai: We have a moderately used road which is being shredded, as rock and sand carrying trucks go up and down it - fast. I would say twice the speed limit, but of course there is no speed limit. The drivers get paid by the load, not by the hour, so they go as fast as they can.

A few miles away, there's a super hwy which had good top, without potholes. So what does the government do? It tears up the reasonably good road, and is putting in a cement road. The newer road isn't as flat or smooth as the one it replaces.

Meanwhile, the smaller road, has patches of potholes so bad that cars have to creep to 1 Km/hr to navigate them. .....so much for infrastructure repair in this land of 'mai pen rai.'

[rubl]

"The Transport Minister also mentioned that he did not quite agree with the fare rise for the State Railway Third Class Carriage, as it would cause the government to spend more subsidies to the State Railway.

Currently, passengers can board some Third Class Carriages for free, the costs paid for by the government as part of its populist programs."

For a moment I thought that the STATE Railway Thailand wanted to increase prices to 'slightly' lessen the multi-billion losses each year. Instead the Transport Minister want some prices to remain on a loss causing level in order not to increase the STATE burden on subsidies regarding railroad trips (if even third class).

BTW wasn't it the Transport Minister who tried to get to an airport by bus but had to switch to private chauffer driven car to get there in time?

[rametindallas]

On the other hand, if the SRT manages to not have another derailment/accident within the next thirty days, this will be declared a great success.

If they go an entire month without a derailment, it will be from luck only. The unions and management are quite happy with the cycle of failure they have become. Their pay is the same no matter the level of service or ineptitude.

[rametindallas]

Chatchart Gives State Railway 1 Month To Improve

I like this guy, but this sentence needs an "or else..."

... or else he will hold another press conference and if he really gets upset, another committee.

[rametindallas]

Another headline grabbing but total impracticable statement from a politician. One month to put right decades of wrongs but a cabinet minister has spoken so I'm sure it will happen.

So TV has been reporting on this guy for the last 3-4 months. Every naysayer posts their negative drivel. HE'S doing things and I think he's shaming his peers by taking actions..., though limited..., and in effect saying they need to do more.

A tip of my hat to Chatchart. Baby steps but he's doing things.

But what has he accomplished? If wishes were fishes we'd have a fish fry. Two months ago the PM complained that her government was getting only bad publicity so this Minister is getting good publicity as instructed. Things don't change in Thailand because of publicity, you should know that by now. People are naysayers because talk (press conferences) does not equate to action. If he wants to impress me, he should fix the problems and not grandstand and just talk about what everybody knows already. (did his press conference tell you anything you didn't already know?) The managers of the SRT and the unions are very happy to be slovenly and inept as there is no incentive to improve. If the minister were to hold someone important to be accountable for the changes he wants then I might believe he is sincere. As it is, this is merely a publicity stunt to get good press for this government and you believed it. And, oh, name one of his peers that he has shamed, as per your post. Feel free to ignore my negative drivel.

[rametindallas]

Where do they find these people, that throw out a "fix it" time, which is less than the time it will take to get a budget to follow recommended procedures, which must come via input from a crediable source.

There must be someone within this government who has had experience in the repair of a system/device and thus would know that repair takes longer than making a run down to the local merchant and having a new one delivered.

Are these clowns so full of themselves that they think their instructions carry the authority of the almighty? Maybe the answer to that question is also being played out by the Senate in Bangkok and Dubai.

]I have no idea where they find them, but i would at least expect them to be able to read an comprehend an article which seems to be beyond you. If you stop getting excited about Thaksin and read the article, it quite clearly says 'IMPROVE' within one month, which i imagine is very achievable. Small steps and all that. What your talking about fixing and delivery times is beyond me. I know you want to get a dig in at the Governement and Thaksin in every post, but try reading the article first.

Kinda like improving the deck chair arrangement on the Titanic.

[Robby nz]

Well, well the Minister of transport has taken his first ride on a train, come down from his high and mighty position to 3rd class even and now he knows what's wrong and he has told them to clean the toilets.

I am very sure those who are running the rail system know very well what is wrong but they also know there is no money there to do anything about it.

It is like someone knowing their house needs painting, that the roof leaks, a window is broken but they can barely make enough to feed and clothe their family.

I am sure those running the rail would love to fix everything that's wrong but don't have the wherewithal to do it.

Hay this is the SRT, the STATE Railway of Thailand and here we have a minister of the STATE of Thailand telling us :

The Transport Minister also mentioned that he did not quite agree with the fare rise for the State Railway Third Class Carriage, as it would cause the government to spend more subsidies to the State Railway.

That's right, the STATE does not want to spend any more money on the STATE railway.

No problem to spend on frivolities like I-pads for pollies, expensive clocks, (the I-pads will do the same), overseas trips for little or no reason and stupidity even, like air conditioners in the garbage room.

But we don't want to spend any more on the railway.

And Glory halabloodylulya the PH has taken a short trip on a special train so she can see what a train looks like, what did that photo op cost the SRT?

The STATE Railway is in a sad state because the STATE has not considered it worth investing in, heck how much double tracking could have been done with half the money lost on the rice mountain?

[boomerangutang]

So here's the logic, if I'm getting it right: The standing gov't can't run and maintain an analog rail system, even though subsidizing its losses heavily. Similar to the Thai Airways gov't entwined franchise. Yet, the same gov't want to borrow 2.2 trillion baht (which becomes 5 to 6 trillion, if all payments are dutifully made on time ) for a slick showpiece digital speedo train - which few people will use. Subsequent generations of Thai and farang will be saddled with paying off that stinking debt. This is the same gov't which pays Bt.75k each for a heap of Bt.1,500 clocks. What's wrong with this picture?

[wilcopops]

Actually, it would seem to me that those particular goals are reachable within a month. There are plenty of Thai police around to police the stations. How hard is it to clean up a restroom? And much of the lateness of trains, in my experience, seemed to be due more to not getting started on time.

Will it happen? Probably not. But it is attainable.

Sorry but this is absolute rubbish - your premises are inaccurate assessments based purely on personal experience.

[wilcopops]

So here's the logic, if I'm getting it right: The standing gov't can't run and maintain an analog rail system, even though subsidizing its losses heavily. Similar to the Thai Airways gov't entwined franchise. Yet, the same gov't want to borrow 2.2 trillion baht (which becomes 5 to 6 trillion, if all payments are dutifully made on time ) for a slick showpiece digital speedo train - which few people will use. Subsequent generations of Thai and farang will be saddled with paying off that stinking debt. This is the same gov't which pays Bt.75k each for a heap of Bt.1,500 clocks. What's wrong with this picture?

BTW - Isn't the HS railway being shelved?

[Ricardo]

Where can I see the number of deaths per year on Thai trains?

I ride the train all the time, even the free 3rd class. No, its not first world class, a bit dirty, and with the number of people getting on and off the free train, almost always late. The drunks can be a problem, I haven't seen or heard of thief. But I do see improvements. They are just finishing ripping out and replacing the ties and rails on the Korat to Nong Khai line. Now faster and smoother. More can and should be done--- or it can do as Mexico has done and do away with most of the passenger trains all together.

Positive comments like this are not popular on TVF, and good to hear some type if "improvement' is being made for regular users.

The SRT's existing double-tracking scheme is also proceeding, albeit too-slowly and under-funded, by every government recently.

However the idea to jump from that situation, or to accelerate the scheme and fund it better, to a Hi-Speed railway which saddles the country with a 50-year debt, is IMO too much. Especially as the Hi-Speed proposals aren't at all what the Chinese-exporters want/need, and ticket-prices are likely to be out-of-reach of most Thais, who will still pay the extra taxes to repay the loans.

There has to be a better compromise, between the Hi-Speed rail (Bangkok-Chiang Mai but ending in Uttaradit, hah !) dream promoted by PTP, and the current decrepit system.

It's probably worth pointing out also, that the free-3rd-class scheme started some years back in response to the growing economic crisis then, applies only to shorter journeys rather than end-to-end on any of the main lines.

[bannork]

The biggest concern of the train user is the almost 100% late arrival of trains.

2 weeks ago I went home to Udon on the long weekend. Every train was an hour and a half late leaving Bangkok because of traffic at Yommarat.

The trains to Udon used to go the scenic route over Pasak dam but now they go the long way round via Korat because the diesel engines are too old to make the gradient!

In 16 years of taking the train to Udon I can say it's never arrived on time, they should write ETA next to the time on arrival. Usually it's at least an hour or more late.

It will take a lot of investment to upgrade the tracks and engines, a lot more than a month, years if ever.

The toilets work, the drunks aren't much of a bother, these are minor issues, the chronic lateness is the problem.

Yet many like myself continue to take the train because when it's moving it's a far more civilized way to travel than by air-con bus. Enjoying the view in a refreshment car with a beer on the table and a comfortable bed to retire to is a pleasant way to travel.

[clarkeman]

3 full scale, carriages off the tracks, derailments on a single line, in one month and the response equals, "I'll give you one month to improve the bathroom service, and remove drunks and thieves from the stations, or else!

And what has been the previous response to accidents from any Government? or is this the first rail accidents Thailand has ever experienced? Surely some comment even if its just lip service is better than nothing?

I would guess, 3 derailments in a month on a single high profile tourist line, with multiple injuries would create an investigation from most governments, not a demand for bathroom service, drunk removal and a discussion on fares.

Lip service would be a comment that they're addressing the track condition and derailment problems and then do nothing. They're having to make a statement because of the derailments. Ignoring the very serious safety issues, concerning the derailments, in the statement is doing nothing. Ignoring the issue to focus on bathroom cleanliness, drunks and fares, what is that a combo of saving face/Thainess?