New Bangkok-Nakhon Pathom train rolled out
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RAIL travel for commuters in Bangkok’s southern suburbs entered a more luxurious and safer phase Monday with the roll-out of the first new carriages in 20 years by the State Railway of Thailand (SRT).
The Chinese-built carriages will operate on the Bangkok to Nakhon Pathom route and, according to the SRT, will provide customers with more comfort and safety.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha presided over the inauguration ceremony for the new trains yesterday.
“I’m glad to see the development of Thai railways,” he said. “The new model of trains will be considered as the railway of the future.”
Prayut said the government tried to develop double-tracking on rail lines to make better connections for commuting and shipping cargo domestically and internationally. However, this work would be done gradually so as not to hit the national budget too much.
The prime minister said he would like to see each canal connected to railway routes via boat taxis, adding that this was an opening for any interested investors.
He also suggested using old train cars as taxi boats instead of bases for coral reefs.
The new train has a maximum of speed of 120 kilometres per hour. It has a carriage to supply power to other air-conditioned carriages, nine economy carriages for general passengers, one economy carriage for wheelchair passengers, one first-class carriage, and a food supply carriage.
In these cars, there is a CCTV system and Wi-Fi, LED screens and buttons to call staff. The toilets have also been improved in terms of sewage storage.
