Latest news with #StateRailwayofThailand
Bangkok Post
17-07-2025
- Business
- Bangkok Post
Flat fare a good start
The 20-baht flat fare for electric trains that will run from Oct 1 this year to Sept 30 next year is a welcome move to ease the cost of living for city commuters. It will apply to all eight Bangkok electric train lines with public registration starting in August via the "Tang Rat" mobile app, according to the Ministry of Transport. It's not yet in place, but the public and critics are already wondering how long this generous fare subsidy will last. The fare cap for electric trains and subways in the capital is one of Pheu Thai Party's election promises. While many of the party's bold visions such as the Land Bridge or the casino entertainment complex have fallen flat, the fare cap scheme is perhaps one singular visible achievement that Pheu Thai-led government can brag about. No doubt the party hopes that voters will reward it at the next election. The subsidy will require a budget of seven billion baht a year to keep all city train and subway routes capped at 20 baht. For this year, Deputy PM and Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit forked out the money from the State Railway of Thailand's budget. Some critics say the subsidy unfairly takes money that should go into improving the railway system overall. A bigger problem is that the subsidy could actually cost more than budgeted. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, which oversees the crowded Green Line, reports needing 11 billion baht in compensation for the line's operations every year. Mr Suriya last year floated the idea of collecting a congestion fee from private vehicles to fund the subsidy. This approach has been adopted in many cities around the world including London and Singapore but unfortunately did not pan out. His plan to pass a law to create a common ticketing system for electric trains also failed to gain traction. Consumers, of course, have been waiting for more than a decade for governments to develop a convenient ticketing system that works on subways and skytrains without incurring extra fees when they switch between the two. Yet the bigger question is whether the fare cap helps improve connectivity and convenience over the mass transport system, or is just a populist handout intended to appease voters? Unfortunately, the fare cap works like a short-term painkiller to ease the cost of living. There is no systematic or follow-up plan to improve connectivity and the quality of public bus services that will feed commuters to city trains and subways. Without better connectivity between city trains, subways and public buses, the fare cap will only encourage some people, perhaps not many, to leave their cars at home and use state-provided mass transit. The government deserves praise for trying to fulfil its pledge and help cut transport costs. But what the public want is a sustainable model that makes public transport accessible and ensures its quality. A fare cap subsidy which comes and goes at the will of elected politicians is not that.
Bangkok Post
15-07-2025
- Bangkok Post
Foreign tourist arrested for spray-painting train
A foreign tourist has been arrested after spray-painting the locomotive and carriages of a southbound express train, damaging state property and causing travel delays, according to the State Railway of Thailand (SRT). The incident occurred on July 13 beneath a railway bridge on Kanchanaphisek Road in Taling Chan district of Bangkok. According to SRT governor Nirut Amrapan, the man defaced the front of the train and several passenger cars of the Bangkok-Sungai Kolok train No. 171. Station staff quickly alerted local police, who arrived and apprehended the suspect at the scene. Ten cans of spray paint were found in his possession. The man, whose nationality was not given, was taken to the Phutthamonthon police station for legal processing. The SRT said it would seek the maximum punishment against the man to deter future acts of vandalism and safeguard national assets. The SRT urges the public to report any suspicious or inappropriate behaviour to local authorities or via its 1690 hotline, which operates 24 hours a day.
Bangkok Post
12-07-2025
- Business
- Bangkok Post
B20 fare a 'short-term painkiller'
The ex-deputy leader of the Democrat Party, an expert in the transportation industry, has expressed concern about the sustainability of the government's 20-baht fare policy for Bangkok's electric trains, warning that without a long-term financial framework, the scheme may only last a year. Samart Ratchapolsitte, who also ranks as a former deputy governor of Bangkok for Public Works and Traffic, described the policy as a "short-term painkiller" introduced ahead of upcoming elections. He questioned how long the government could maintain the scheme amid budgetary and operational challenges. The cabinet recently approved the policy, which will run from Oct 1 to Sept 30 next year. It aims to reduce living costs and encourage commuters to shift from private vehicles to public transport. Registration will open next month via the state-developed Tang Rat app, while QR code payments via the app are planned for the future. However, budgetary concerns loom large, he said. The government allocated 5.6 billion baht for the first year, lower than earlier estimates of around 8 billion baht, which included subsidies for agencies such as the State Railway of Thailand, Mass Rapid Transit Authority, and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), plus 156 million baht for a central revenue management system. The BMA alone reports needing 11 billion baht in compensation, indicating a significant shortfall as the allocated budget covers less than a quarter of this requirement.
Bangkok Post
08-07-2025
- Bangkok Post
Waiting passenger beaten up by railway station guards
A 57-year-old man was beaten by two security guards at a Surat Thani train station because he lay down and took a rest while waiting for a late-night train home after attending a family dinner. The man suffered severe bruising and required four stitches for a cut in his head. The security company that employed the guards has reportedly accepted responsibility and paid 60,000 baht compensation after the family called for justice. The story was posted on the Facebook account กุ๊ก คลองน้อย on Friday, along with pictures showing the man's injuries and another showing two guards apologising to him. Another post on the same account on Monday thanked authorities for listening to them and following up the case. The injured man was identified only as Yutthaphon. The incident reportedly occurred about 9.45pm on June 15 at Phunphin district station in Surat Thani province. Mr Yuttthaphon was dropped off at the station by his 16-year-old son after attending a family dinner. He makes the journey from there to neighbouring Nakhon Si Thammarat every week. Mr Yutthaphon had consumed a few drinks with dinner and was feeling sleepy. His train was not due until 1am, so he lay down for a rest, the report said. Two security guards approached and told him he was not allowed to do that. A quarrel erupted and the two guards physically attacked the passenger, forcing him down onto the platform and beating him. Another man who also claimed to be a security guard later hailed a ride for the beaten man to go to a nearby hospital and later back to the station. The Facebook report said Mr Yutthaphon sustained bruising all over his face and body and a cut to his head that required four stitches. The family learned of the incident only the following day when they spoke with Mr Yutthaphon by video about 10am. They noticed his injuries and asked about them. They then drove immediately to his home in Nakhon Si Thammarat, picked him up and returned him to Surat Thani for further medical treatment. The family filed a complaint with Phunphin police station. Investigators were told the security cameras had malfunctioned and the incident went unrecorded. On Monday, State Railway of Thailand (SRT) governor Veeris Ammarapala said he was informed of the incident and had ordered a detailed investigation. An initial report said the passenger lay down in the area for passengers with disabilities and he appeared drunk, according to the two guards, Mr Veeris said. The guards warned him, and that blew up into a quarrel. The two guards had been suspended from duty, the security company had paid 60,000 baht to the family as compensation. If the investigation found the guards were at fault, the SRT would also penalise the security contractor, Mr Veeris said.
Time Out
14-06-2025
- Business
- Time Out
Thailand's three-airport rail project is back on track
Travelling in Thailand means discovering something special at every turn and the eastern coastline is no exception. With beautiful islands and beaches tucked away in provinces such as Pattaya, Chonburi and Rayong, you don't even have to venture all the way south to find a seaside escape. However, getting there from Bangkok's airports can still take hours by road. That's why, back in 2019, the Thai government launched an ambitious high-speed rail project designed to link these three major airports – Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi, and U-Tapao – to improve access and cut travel times. But just as things were picking up speed, the pandemic brought everything to a halt. The original public-private partnership (PPP) agreement, signed in October 2019, was disrupted by the global economic downturn. The private consortium leading the initiative, Asia Era One, faced financial setbacks due to shrinking confidence from lenders and the mounting risks of large-scale infrastructure investments. As a result, key obligations, including payments for the rights to operate the Airport Rail Link (ARL) couldn't be met. Still, that wasn't the end of the line. Over the past few years, the government and its private partners have been working behind the scenes to revise the terms and address financial challenges to get the plan back on track. Now, after nearly five years, there's finally light at the end of the tunnel. In March 2025, the State Railway of Thailand board approved a revised joint investment deal, aligned with guidelines from the Eastern Economic Corridor Policy Committee. If all goes according to plan, the updated contract will be signed in July 2025, paving the way for construction to begin. Service is expected to launch sometime between 2029 and 2030, making transportation across the country's key regions faster, easier and more connected than ever.
