Rail Service To Chiang Mai Suspended For 12 Days

[george]

Rail service to Chiang Mai suspended for 12 days

BANGKOK: -- Direct passenger trains to Thailand's northern city of Chiang Mai have been suspended for another 12 days, from Saturday, due to severe damages to rail track resulting from flash-floods earlier this week, the chief of State Railway of Thailand (SRT) said Saturday.

SRT Governor Chitsanti Dhanasobhon said a damage survey earlier this week on the rail line through Uttaradit Province after SRT stopped train services late Monday found over 30 kilometers of track and three bridges to be badly damaged.

Train passengers traveling to Chiang Mai must for the time being disembark at Uttaradit Station and then travel by bus via Den Chai, Lampang and then to the final destination Chiang Mai, he said.

Passengers with advance bookings who no longer want to travel between May 27 and June 7 can receive full reimbursement from the SRT, Mr. Chitsanti said.

He said initial damages were estimated at around Bt50 million (currently about US$1.3 million).

The SRT chief said that he would visit on Saturday and offer food and medicine to SRT officials who had been affected by the floods and the overall emergency response situation to boost their morale.

--TNA 2006-05-27