Thaksin Express

The Thaksin Express (Thai: รถด่วนพิเศษทักษิณ) is a special express train run by the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) between Bangkok and Sungai Golok, a border town in Narathiwat province and the end of the southern rail line. Thaksin is a Thai word for south (from Sanskrit word dakshin), so the name of this train can be translated as "the Southern Express." This train's passenger cars include 1st- and 2nd-class air-conditioned sleepers, 2nd-class fan sleepers, 2nd-class fan seating coaches, 3rd class air-conditioned and fan seating coaches, and a dining car.

Overview

The train passes interesting cities and towns along the east coast of southern Thailand on the upper Malay peninsula. These include the old Buddhist city of Nakhon Pathom, the seaside resort town of Hua Hin, the port city of Surat Thani, the commercial city of Hat Yai (or Haadyai), the Islamic city of Yala, and the commercial border town of Sungai Golok. Although the rail line is connected to the Malaysian one, there is no cross-border service on this route.

Timetable

Train Number 37 Bangkok - Sugei Golok (departure times unless otherwise specified)

Train Number Number 38 Sugei Golok - Bangkok (there are the departure times unless specified) -

Current status

There are about 3-4 second class rakes plus one first class rake for the train between Hat Yai - Sugei Golok. This Southern Special Express 37/38 has to be kept running as the way to reassure residents that the central government will never abandon the local people of three Southern provinces despite the ongoing insurgencies in the three Southernmost provinces.

References

External links