Let the train take the strain!

[Inspire]

Let the train take the strain!



Many years ago an advertising campaign in Britain advised travellers to “let the train take the strain.”, writes Inspire guest writer Gerry Carter.

Here in Thailand the strain is very much on the State Railway with their antiquated rolling stock trying to compete with more modern forms of transport notwithstanding plans for a new high speed service to the North East of the country curtailed perhaps but not shelved.

The truth is that the safety record of the Thai railways is a very good one. The accident this last weekend where a tour bus plonked itself on a railway crossing in front of the Bangkok – Nam Tok express was hardly the fault of the SRT. The bus driver paid with his life and took two passengers with him in a shocking accident caught on CCTV.

Sure, many level crossings are in need of barriers and lights but this tragic event was allegedly the fault of the bus driver albeit possibly blinded by the low sun and distracted by an oncoming car as he turned into disaster.


But accidents over the years have been few though it is true to say there are many minor derailments on shoddy rails that never hit the headlines. Frankly, the trains are travelling too slowly to do any more damage than spill the passengers’ coke and ice.

As a teacher for years responsible at an international school for trips and excursions it was my job to convince the ‘hiso’ Thai parents that travelling throughout the kingdom could be accomplished without the loss of their little ones. Our policy was to forbid road transport with anything but our own bus company and ban it completely at night.

Full story: http://www.inspirepattaya.com/lifestyle/let-train-take-strain/

-- Inspire Pattaya 2016-04-09

[blazes]

good Thai phrase (from the long form of this article) :

"rot fai chon gan"....literally means: two trains crashing into each other.

Metaphorically means: wife and mistress meet by accident and sparks fly (or gik and gik, says my wife).

I wonder how many expats ever experience that particular problem ...

[mydee]

I share the "Hi So" parents concerns, having recently traveled 3rd class to Kanchanaburi (single class) and 2nd Class( again single class) to Lopburi. I arrived in Kanchanaburi hot and sweaty and covered in dust while the air conditioning broke down on one carriage and we were all herded into a single carriage and I had to stand up for over an hour.

So much for Thai railways.

[sandrabbit]

I live in Rayong and can't wait for the train link to Bangkok to be built but instead of planning a high speed link I would be happy with any link plus they should plan to build all the way to Trat and not stop at Map ta Phut as it's the wrong side of the city anyway. Even better would be an mrt link so you could enjoy the view, when I go to Bangkok I get a taxi to swampy then the train in as I refuse to get in a mini bus now.