Again - a train derails in Thailand

[rumbo1]

Inspector says track in very poor condition , also says no delays were caused as line was not busy .

It should be one massive delay and no train allowed to use the tracks until they are repaired to safe condition not get derailed carriage out of the way and carry on regardless .

[deepcell]

Is it a joke?

[Robby nz]

Then stop pretending and stop all train traffic until it is fixed, but do not charge and find weak excuses, what is he waiting for? The first passengers who will die ?

Sorry but that just wont work and wont happen.

Have you ever been on a train in Thailand, have you any idea how many people and how much freight the rail carries ?

To suddenly stop the whole thing would mean all that would have to be transferred to the roads.

It would also mean there would be no income from fares and freight charges.

So who would pay the workers to fix everything ?

First thing would be to get on with double tracking, from what I read there has already been a lot prelimenary of work done on this, like surveying and environmental and health reports.

Also read that if Govt made the money available work could start pronto.

However that cash is not forthcoming.

Wait for the 2.2 trillion.

If double tracking was done then the new track could be used while the old was brought up to scratch.

There is also the aspect of ancient rolling stock.

I wonder how many derailments can be blamed on that instead of the track condition.

[ratcatcher]

With more derailments than I used to have on my Hornby set when I was a kid I just thank Buddha Thai trains generally can't go fast enough to cause serious injuries.

I bet your Hornby railway never had chili peppers and cucumbers to negotiate along the line.

This old railway is an anachronism but quite charming, being completely disconnected from the SRT mainline.

The trains don't go fast, there is a ferry trip halfway through the journey. Tourists miss a lot if they don't check it out. SRT should at least do some basic maintenance.

A little bit of early 20th century Thailand destined to vanish forever.

[MJP]

EDIT: Beaten to it on the Hornby train set derailment gag!

Edited November 18, 2013 by MJP

[Emdog]

I would tend to think highway deaths are very much a low ball figure, given that if you die in hospital, I don't think they count that

[dave1212]

Can't imagine the HSR ever being completed....just too much graft in this country for it to ever be a working, viable transport system in Thailand....

Given the pre-contract payments that have to be made....Chinese constructors.........aint gonna make it off the rails!

Oh.... it will make it off the rails alright....

[Ulic]

The problem as far as I am concerned is the money needed for maintenance is skimmed into peoples pockets or

as been cut from the budget to pay for the rice scheme. Either way proper maintenance is not being done.

I am sure the staff on the front line have the ability. They just need the resources. This issue goes back many

ministers and many governments. The issue is when will the shit hit the fan and this problem be fixed.

There are many more infrastructure issues that need attention, the problems is corruption is systemic in the LOS

and unlikely to be eliminated as long as 70% of Thais think corruption is OK as long as it benefits them.

[Torrens54]

I was only wondering if one day we wont see any accidents like that, between trains or buses ..... just one day without could be nice !

Now that would be Real News!

[pisico]

Today was announced by the minister of transportation that Thailand will aim for Hub of train derailments in Asia the entire world

Cruel but fair

[MaiChai]

Mai Phen Rai Railways?

[Cuban]

Was it the same train ?

[deecee10]

Surely when high-speed trains come in there will be an incident of absolute carnage. Either through hitting a bus on a crossing or through derailment caused by other factors.

[Lupatria]

2.2 trillion baht MIGHT just fix the present system

After the money for the project is approved and all relevant pockets are filled, what would you get for 2 million baht left?

[AloisAmrein]

Travel safety on train and road in Thailand is so excellent that they want to charge foreign tourists now an entry charge of 500 Baht.

[Halion]

Public transportation in this country is abysmal for a variety of self induced reasons,however the management of SRT need to be held culpable for negligent manslaughter should any future derailment result in death. They openly admit that the tracks and trains are in poor condition. They are a bloody disgrace

[ratcatcher]

Surely when high-speed trains come in there will be an incident of absolute carnage. Either through hitting a bus on a crossing or through derailment caused by other factors.

There are no level crossings on an HST system. Everything else goes under or over the tracks, bridges and tunnels. In many areas, the right of way is fenced off.

Of course this HST is still in the dream stage. It's getting near Christmas and PTP wants a new train set.