State-owned rail operator of Thailand From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) (Thai: การรถไฟแห่งประเทศไทย, abbrev. รฟท., RTGS: kan rot fai haeng prathet thai) is the state-owned rail operator under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transport in Thailand.
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Overview | |
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Headquarters | 1 Rong Mueang Road, Rong Mueang, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330 |
Reporting mark | SRT |
Locale | Thailand |
Dates of operation | 1951–present |
Predecessors | Royal State Railways of Siam (RSR) |
Technical | |
Track gauge | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) meter gauge |
Previous gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
Length | 4,044 km (2,513 mi) |
Other | |
Website | Official website |
The SRT was founded as the Royal State Railways of Siam (RSR) in 1890.[1] King Chulalongkorn ordered the Department of Railways to be set up under the Department of Public Works and Town and Country Planning. Construction of the Bangkok-Ayutthaya railway (71 km or 44 mi), the first part of the Northern Line, was started in 1890 and inaugurated on 26 March 1897.[1] The Thon Buri-Phetchaburi line (150 km or 93 mi), later the Southern Line, was opened on 19 June 1903. The first railway commander of the RSR was Prince Purachatra Jayakara, Prince of Kamphaengphet.
The Northern Line was originally built as 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge , but in September 1919 it was decided to standardize on 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) meter gauge and the Northern Line was regauged over the next ten years.[2] On 1 July 1951, RSR changed its name to the present State Railway of Thailand, which has the status of a state enterprise agency.[1]
On 7 April 2020, the Thai cabinet named Nirut Maneephan as the new chief of the SRT, the 29th governor in its history.[3] As of 2020[update] SRT had 4,044 km (2,513 mi) of track,[4] all of it meter gauge except the Airport Link. Nearly 91% was single-track railway (3,685 km (2,290 mi)) while 6%, mainly important sections around Bangkok, were double-track railway (251 km or 156 mi) and 3% were triple-track railway (107 km or 66 mi).[5] The network serves 47 provinces and around 35 million passengers annually.[6] The passenger count is expected to double by 2032,[7] when the network grows to 6,463 km (4,016 mi)[7] to serve 61 provinces.[6]
The SRT has suffered a loss every year since it was turned into a state-owned enterprise under the Transport Ministry in 1951.[8] As the worst financially performing state enterprise,[9] it reported a preliminary loss of 7.58 billion baht in 2010.[9] In the fiscal year ending 30 September 2016, the military government budgeted 7,600 million baht for SRT infrastructure investments to be used for track duplication, an extension of Bangkok's elevated railway, and construction of bridges, fences, and track improvements, however, the SRT had managed to disburse only 53 percent of its allotted investment budget of 60 billion baht, compared with an average disbursement rate of 80 percent by Thailand's other 55 state-owned enterprises (SOEs).[10] Disbursement rate is seen as an indicator of efficient management.[10] SRT's budget from government for FY2020 was 13,574.9 million baht, increased from 9,087 million baht in FY2019.[11]
"If you look at the SRT they are a bit like a patient in [intensive care] and everyone is saying to him 'you are the future' and trying to kick him out of bed when he is still moaning and groaning," said Ruth Banomyong, a logistics and transport expert at Thammasat University.[10]
The SRT annual operating losses are estimated at a minimum of 10 billion baht.[10] In 2018 and 2019, the SRT lost 12 and 17 billion baht respectively.[12] As of 2021[update] the SRT has debts amounting to nearly 190 billion baht.[13] The SRT consistently operates at a loss despite being endowed with large amounts of property—the SRT is one of Thailand's largest land holders, owning an estimated 39,840 hectares—[10] and receiving large government subsidies. SRT's latest property development scheme is the Chao Phraya Gateway project. It capitalises on SRT's 277 rai, 1.16 kilometre stretch of land on the river in the Khlong Toei District. The SRT hopes the project will help clear its 100 billion baht debt. The project is projected to break even within eight years and deliver profits of 140 billion baht. As of April 2019[update], SRT's plans are being submitted to the Transport Ministry for approval.[14]
SRT's failings are reflected in passenger numbers, which, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit have dropped from 88 million in 1994 to 44 million in 2014, and 26 million in 2020.[15] The SRT has long been popularly perceived by the public as inefficient and resistant to change. Trains are usually late, and most of its equipment is old and poorly maintained. Although SRT's operational costs amount to two baht per kilometre traveled, SRT fares defray only a fraction of that cost. SRT has not been permitted to hike fares since 1985[16] which is significantly below market rate.[13]
Under the auspices of the Transport Ministry, the SRT has submitted a rehabilitation plan that will be presented to the State Enterprise Policy Commission on 30 July 2018. The commission, chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is expected to approve the plan. The plan calls for SRT to become the largest railway state enterprise in ASEAN. By 2027, anticipating income growth from asset management and cost management, SRT foresees profits of over 20 billion baht.
Hopewell Holdings of Hong Kong was the lead contractor for SRT's ill-fated Bangkok Elevated Road and Train System. The project commenced in 1990 and was terminated by the Thai government in 1998, only 13% complete.[17] Hopewell and the SRT each blamed the other for the failure of the 80 billion baht project. Both parties sued, and the case has been in litigation since its cancellation. On 23 April 2019, Thailand's Supreme Administrative Court upheld an arbitration committee's ruling in favour of Hopewell. The court ordered SRT to pay Hopewell compensation of 11.88 billion baht, plus 7.5% interest per year. The interest, totaling 13 billion baht, brings SRT's total liability to nearly 25 billion baht, payable within 180 days.
Rail freight, which is cheaper—only roughly half the cost of road transport[18]—safer, and more environmentally-friendly than road transport, accounted for only 1.4 percent of freight tonnage carried in 2015.[10] SRT aims to boost its share of cargo transport to six percent with its rail duplication by 2022.[10] Expansion of SRT's freight service, which could earn more money than the heavily subsidized passenger service, has been neglected for decades in favour of Thailand's roads.[10]
The SRT's poor financial performance and resistance to reform, coupled with the Asian financial crisis of 1997, resulted in stringent restraints being placed on SRT staffing. In July 1998, the Thai cabinet issued an order that the SRT could only hire five new employees for every 100 retirees. As of 2018[update], the order remains in effect.[6] SRT officials estimated in 2017 that the enterprise needed to boost staff by 20 percent to 12,000.[10] In 2018 SRT claims that it needs 18,015 employees to operate efficiently, but only has 10,035 on staff.[6] The train maintenance workforce has dwindled to 500 from 3,000 over the past 30 years.[16]
To make up the shortfall, the SRT hires around 4,000 "yearly staffs", usually on daily wages of 300 baht. It has also caused the SRT to pay massive amounts of overtime pay to current employees. For example, one station master in Pattani was paid 61,210 baht in monthly salary, but also an additional 102,271 baht in overtime pay.[6] As of 2020[update], the staff employment quota was 4,056 but SRT hired 3,721 staffs.[19]
As of July 2019[update], SRT employed 10,292 employees and 3,928 yearly staffs, totaling 14,220 while the SRT Board approved the addition of 1,330 new workers to bring the workforce to 15,550,[20] still fewer than needed to address staff shortages. As of 2020[update], SRT employed 9,204 employees and 3,721 yearly staffs totaling 12,925 while employment quotas respectively was 18,015 and 4,056 totaling 22,071.[19]
To address a long list of complaints accusing SRT of a lack of transparency in bids for projects and procurement deals, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha fired the governor and board of the State Railway of Thailand in February 2017, using his special powers under Section 44 of the interim constitution.[21]
Since 1 February 2017, Tickets can be purchased online, in person, as well was on the phone by dialling 1690.[22]
Since 1 February 2024, all long distance special express and express train tickets open up 90 days in advance. Most other tickets can only be bought up to 30 days in advance. For local ordinary and commuter trains, they only can be bought on the day of travel at the station.
Since May 2024, a waiting list function has been added, allowing registered users to wait for available tickets if they have been sold out.[23]
The SRT operates all of Thailand's national rail lines. As of 2023, Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal is the main terminus of all long-distance services from Bangkok on the Northern, Northeastern and Southern lines, while Bangkok (Hua Lamphong) railway station is the terminus of all Eastern line services and commuter services from Bangkok on the Northern, Northeastern and Southern lines. Phahonyothin and Ladkrabang Inland Container Depot (ICD) are the main freight terminals.
The Northern Line runs alongside the Northeastern Line until the Ban Phachi Junction. There, it splits from the Northeastern Line and proceeds through Lopburi, Nakhon Sawan, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Denchai, Lampang, Lamphun, before finally reaching Chiang Mai, 751 km (467 mi) from Bangkok. There is also a branch off the mainline from Ban Dara Junction to Sawankhalok in Sukhothai Province.[citation needed]
The Northeastern Line begins on the same route as the Northern Line, splitting at Ban Phachi Junction towards Nakhon Ratchasima. Then at Thanon Chira Junction, the line splits with one route passing Khon Kaen and Udon Thani before terminating at Nong Khai 624 kilometers (388 mi) from Bangkok. The other route passes through Buriram, Surin, Sisaket to reach Ubon Ratchathani, 575 km (357 mi) from Bangkok.
There is also another branch route originating from Kaeng Khoi Junction in Saraburi Province passing through Chai Badan District in Lopburi Province and Chatturat District in Chaiyaphum Province, before joining the mainline heading towards Nong Khai at Bua Yai Junction in Nakhon Ratchasima Province.
The Southern Line begins in Bangkok and heads west towards Nakhon Pathom before splitting into three different routes. One route heads west to Kanchanaburi Province (210 km (130 mi)) while another heads north towards Suphan Buri (157 km (98 mi)). The Southern Line itself continues southbound through Ratchaburi, Phetchaburi, Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, Chumphon, to Surat Thani 678 kilometers (421 mi) distant. From Surat Thani, there is a westerly branch towards Khiri Rat Nikhom while the main line continues south to Thung Song Junction in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province where another branch reaches Kantang in Trang Province. Not far away, another branch separates off the mainline at Khao Chum Thong Junction. The main line from Nakhon Sri Thammarat continues through Phatthalung before reaching Hat Yai Junction in Songkhla Province. From here, a line branches to connect with the Malaysian railway at Padang Besar and the mainline continues to Su-ngai Kolok passing through Yala Province.
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