A new train purchased from China by State Railway of Thailand (SRT) was launched on Monday with a short trip, which is the first new train for Thailand in 20 years.
The train ran from Bangkok to Nakhon Pathom and then came back to Bangkok on its first trip here, while SRT will put Chinese-made new trains into service on the Bangkok-Chiang Mai route in October and finally on three other routes as well: Bangkok-Ubon Ratchathani, Bangkok-Nong Khai; and Bangkok-Hat Yai.
SRT has contracted China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC)s Changchun Railway Vehicles Co.,LTD to purchase 115 new carriages at a price of 4.98 billion Baht (143 million U.S. dollars). The first batch of 39 were handed over to the SRT on July 14. The SRT had been making test runs for the last month.
We will hand in all 115 carriages to SRT in October, said Liu Gang, deputy general manager overseeing international business of the Changchun Railway, adding that these carriages greatly improved the Thai railway service.
The carriages, or the new trains, are the pride of SRT, which had not bought any new passenger cars for over 20 years, said SRT governor Wutichart Kallayanamit, adding that once the double-track railway is built, these news trains, with a fastest speed of 120km/h, can save about 3 hours for their passengers when compared with taking the old trains.
Runphol, reporter of a Thai rail fan website, said he hadn't taken a train in the country for the last year because the trains are old and not comfortable, but he would change his mind once these new trains are put into service.
"According to test runs, these trains are of high quality, and they are beautiful and comfortable for passengers, which makes them appropriate for our country." said Tanongsak Pongprasert, deputy governor of SRT.
Both prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said in a ceremony before the new train departed at Hua Lamphong station that they are glad that the Thai railway has made some progress, while Arkhom said the it is just the beginning as the government will do more to improve the railway and accelerate high speed train projects, including the Sino-Thai railway.
