Rail transport in Thailand

Rail transport in Thailand
British Rail Class 158 at Hua Lamphong Railway Station
Operation
National railway	SRT
Infrastructure company	SRT
Major operators	BTSC, BMCL
Statistics
Ridership	?
System length
Total	4,346 kilometres (2,700 mi)
Electrified	80.55 km (50.05 mi) (rapid transit)
High-speed	0 km (0 mi)
Track gauge
Main	1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Meter gauge	4,346 kilometres (2,700 mi)
Standard gauge	80.55 km (50.05 mi) (rapid transit)
Electrification
Third rail	51.95 km (32.28 mi) (BTS Skytrain and Bangkok Metro)
Overhead line	28.6 km (17.8 mi) (Suvarnabhumi Airport Link)
Features
No. tunnels	7
Tunnel length	3.626 km (2.253 mi)
Longest tunnel	1.352 km (0.840 mi) (Khun Tan Tunnel)
Longest bridge	0.442 km (0.275 mi) (Rama VI Bridge)
Highest elevation	578m (Khun Tan Railway Station)
Map

The railway network of Thailand is managed and operated by the State Railway of Thailand (SRT).

History

Interest in rail transport in Siam can be traced to when King Rama IV was given a gift of a model railway from Queen Victoria in 1855. The first railway line, 21.3 km, named Paknam Railway between Bangkok–Samut Prakan started its construction in 1889 under a 50-year concession with a Danish company. Paknam Railway opened on April 11, 1893. This railway line was electrified in 1925, made it into the first electric railway service of Southeast Asia. However, this railway line was abolished since January 1, 1957.

Royal State Railways of Siam (RSR) was found in 1890 at the same time with a construction of the Bangkok-Ayutthaya railway (71 km or 44 mi), the first part of the Northern Line, was started in 1891 and opened on March 26, 1895. The Thonburi-Phetchaburi line (150 km or 93 mi), later the Southern Line, opened on June 19, 1903.

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 during the next ten years. On July 1, 1951, RSR changed its name to the present State Railway of Thailand (SRT).

In 2005 SRT had 4,070 km (2,530 mi) of track, all of it meter gauge. Nearly all is single-track, although some important sections around Bangkok are double or triple-tracked and there are plans to extend this.

On 21 March 2015 Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha said that Thailand and China had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in late-2014 on joint railway construction furthering Thailand's seven-year strategy on the development of transportation from 2015-2022. The MoU stipulates that a joint Thai-Chinese 1.435-meter standard-gauge rail network project bear fruit in 2018. Thailand is to be responsible for conducting environmental impact assessments and land expropriations. China is responsible for project design and construction. The project includes four routes: 133 km between Bangkok and Kaeng Khoi; 246.5 km between Kaeng Khoi and Map Ta Phut; 138.5 km between Kaeng Khoi and Nakhon Ratchasima; and 355 km from Nakhon Ratchasima to Nong Khai.^[1]

Issues

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. The worst financially performing state enterprise, the SRT consistently operates at a loss despite being endowed with large amounts of property and receiving large government budgets; it reported a preliminary loss of 7.58 billion baht in 2010.^[2] Recurring government attempts at restructuring and/or privatization throughout the 2000s have always been strongly opposed by the union and have not made any progress.^[3][4]

Operators

All intercity rail transportation is managed by the State Railway of Thailand, a government agency responsible for rail infrastructure investment as well as freight and passenger services.

In Bangkok, the Skytrain is operated by Bangkok Mass Transit System Public Company Limited (BTSC) under a concession granted by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) but the investment for the structure and system were fully supported by BTSC.

The underground system is operated by Bangkok Metro Company Limited (BMCL), while whole project investments were shared by Mass Rapid Transit Authorities (MRTA) and BMCL, which all civil structures was provided by government sector and the system was provided by private sector (BMCL). The deal of contract between BMCL and MRTA are under the concession agreement for 25 years operation.

Network

Thailand has 4,431 kilometers of meter gauge railway tracks not including mass transit lines in Bangkok. All national rail services are managed by the State Railway of Thailand. The four main lines are the Northern Line, which terminates in Chiang Mai, the Northeastern Line, which terminates at Ubon Ratchathani and the Lao border in Nong Khai Province, the Eastern Line, which terminates at the Cambodian border in Sa Kaeo Province, and the Southern Line, which terminates at the Malaysian border in Songkhla and Narathiwat Provinces.

Current lines

Future lines

Defunct lines

Rail links to adjacent countries

• Malaysia - yes - same 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 ³⁄₈ in) gauge
• Laos - yes - 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 ³⁄₈ in) gauge across Mekong River on Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge
• Cambodia - yes - disused (being rebuilt)
• Myanmar - no - defunct - (see Death Railway). But projected extension will rebuild the route.^[5]

Rail transport in Bangkok

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, King Rama V eagerly built a tram network for Bangkok by employing foreign engineers and technicians, especially Danish engineers. In fact, Bangkok had electric trams before Copenhagen. However, due to a lack of interest and maintenance the tram network was completely scrapped in 1968.

Greater Bangkok Commuter rail

Rapid transit systems

Bangkok is currently served by three rapid transit systems: the BTS Skytrain, the underground MRT and the elevated Airport Rail Link. Although proposals for the development of rapid transit in Bangkok had been made since 1975,^[6] leading to plans for the failed Lavalin Skytrain, it was only in 1999 that the BTS finally began operation.

The BTS Skytrain

The M-Map details plans for additional rapid transit lines in Bangkok.

In addition to rapid transit and heavy rail lines, there have been proposals for several monorail systems, the most notable being a line linking Chulalongkorn University with Siam Square, to be funded by the BMA. In 2010 Grand Canal Land Company proposed a 600–800 metre line linking its properties on Rama IX Road with the Phra Ram 9 MRT Station, but failed to secure approval.^[7][8]

Development is divided into three stages, in addition to those lines already open or under construction:^[9]

Rolling stock

State Railway of Thailand

• 

  UM12C (GE)

• 

  AD24C (ALS)

• 

  8FA-36C (HID)

• 

  CM22-7i (GEA)

• 

  Daewoo Heavy Industries (APD.20)

• 

  Class 158 Express Sprinter

BTS Skytrain

Rolling stock of BTS Skytrain

The BTS Skytrain uses two variations of Electric Multiple Unit rolling stock. All operate on 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) track gauge (standard gauge). All trains have 4 doors on each side per car, an air-conditioning unit, and LCD monitors for public announcement and advertising. The power supply for all trains is at 750 V DC from the third rail.

Bangkok Metro

• Bangkok MRT Blue Line: each train consists of two motor cars and a centre trailer car.^[10]

Airport Rail Link

Siemens supplied nine Desiro Class 360/2 trainsets. The only significant difference from the UK units is a much larger air-conditioning pod on the roof, providing extra power to cope with the Thai climate. City services is operated by five three-car trains, and the Express services by four trainsets with a fourth car for check-in baggage. The first trains left Germany in September 2007, and testing in Bangkok began in March 2008.^[11] On 15 May 2012 the Thai Cabinet approved a budget of 5.2 billion baht for the SRT to order 7 new, 4 car sets of Siemens Desiro rolling stock to be delivered by 2014.^[12] However, as of June 2013 no order for new rolling stock had yet been placed. The Ministry of Transport was considering purchasing cheaper Chinese (CNR) or Spanish (CAF) rolling stock which would require changing the Siemens closed signalling system to an open system.^[13]

Infrastructure

Tracks

Railway tracks with incomplete Bangkok Elevated Road and Train System Pillars near Ngam Wong Wan.

Most existing State Railway of Thailand lines use metre gauge, although standard gauge is used of rapid transit lines. As of 2013, approximately 4,346 km (2,700 mi) of track was in use throughout Thailand:

• 4,346 km (2,700 mi) metre gauge (1,000 mm (3 ft 3 ³⁄₈ in));
• 80.55 km (50.05 mi) standard gauge (1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in)); and

Railway stations

About 450 stations.^[14]

Bridges

About 1,000 bridges.^[15]

Tunnels

There are 7 railway tunnels in Thailand, amounting to a total length of 3.63 km (2.26 mi).

Signalling

State Railway of Thailand uses colour light signals and semaphore signal

• 

  Semaphore signal

Future Plans

Mass transit routes in Bangkok are also set to be expanded. Excluding the already under construction extensions to the Skytrain, the Bangkok Metropolitan Government is planning a northern as well as western expansion of the Skytrain. The Central Government, through the State Railway of Thailand and Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand are also planning to build several new metro routes.

The Thai Government also has double tracking projects including a double tracking project in the works between Laem Chabang deep sea port and the Lad Krabang ICD. Also, in line with the Government's policy of reducing overall logistics costs in Thailand, there are plans to completely double track all the main lines in the country as well as upgrade track quality. The Government is also mulling a restructuring of the State Railway of Thailand and granting operating concessions to private freight operators. An international rail link has opened to Vientiane in Laos via Nong Khai and the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge. The 6 km 'missing link' on the Eastern line between Aranyaphratet and Poipet (Cambodia) is also being rebuilt with construction starting in late 2013 for completion in 900 days.^[16]

New SRT lines

There are also plans to construct new railway routes:

• 1) Chiang Rai in the north via Denchai Junction - 326 km, 77 billion baht. This route is currently under EIA evaluation
• 2) Ban Phai (on the Northeast line) - Roi Et - Mukdahan - Nakhon Phanom - 347 km, 42 billion baht. (Completing public consultations & final route evaluation by Oct 2014)
• 3) Kanchanaburi - Dewei (Burma): 190 km. Route to be finalised
• 4) Phuket from Surat Thani
• 5) Connect the Maeklong railway to main lines

Proposed high speed routes

Thailand High Speed Rail
Overview
Type	High-speed rail and Medium-speed rail
Status	Under investigation
Locale	Thailand
Operation
Operator(s)	State Railway of Thailand
Technical
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Operating speed	300 km/h (186 mph) and 250 km/h (155 mph)

In October 2010, the Thai parliament approved initial proposals for a high speed rail (HSR) network. Five lines capable of handling 250 km/h speeds would radiate from Bangkok.^[17]

In March 2013, the transport minister revealed that only one company would be selected to run all high-speed train routes, scheduled to be operational between 2018 and 2019.^[18] The first 86 km section from Bang Sue to Ayuthaya was planned to be tendered in late-2013. However, a seven-month-long political crisis involving the dissolution of parliament and an annulled February 2014 election culminated in a military coup in May 2014. Subsequently, in July 2014 the new military administration deferred all HSR plans until the next civilian government is installed. Elections are planned for October 2015.

Following the military coup of May 2014 and his elevation to the office of prime minister, Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha proposed connecting Bangkok to two popular resort cities, Pattaya and Hua Hin, by high-speed rail. The Transport Ministry's Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning had earlier conducted studies on both routes. They assumed that, for the Bangkok-Pattaya line, trains would run through Chachoengsao, Chonburi, and Pattaya, terminating in Rayong, a total distance of 193.5 km. Construction costs were estimated at 152 billion baht with an economic internal rate of return (EIRR) of 13 percent. Construction would take about 54 months. The route to Hua Hin would be 209 km in length with an investment cost of about 98 billion baht and EIRR of 8.1 percent. The office concluded that these routes would be of little interest to private investors due to the high investment required, coupled with a low rate of return.^[19]

Sino-Thai railway

In November 2014, Thailand and China signed a memorandum of understanding agreeing to construct the Thai portion of the transnational railway running from Kunming, China to the Gulf of Thailand. In November 2015, both parties agreed to a division of labour. Under the framework, a joint venture will be set up to run the project. China will conduct feasibility studies, design the system, construct tunnels and bridges, and lay track. Thailand will conduct social and environmental impact studies, expropriate land for construction, handle general civil engineering and power supply, and supply construction materials.

Once built, China will operate and maintain the system for the first three years of operation. Between the third and the seventh years, both countries will share responsibility. Later Thailand will take on responsibility with China as adviser. China will train Thai personnel to operate and maintain the system.

Dual standard-gauge tracks will be laid throughout the project. In Thailand, two routes will diverge at a junction in Kaeng Khoi District in Saraburi Province. One will connect Bangkok to Kaeng Khoi. The other route will connect Kaeng Khoi with Map Ta Phut of Rayong Province. From Kaeng Khoi tracks will lead north to Nakhon Ratchasima and on to Nong Khai Province. Construction will be divided into four sections: Bangkok-Kaeng Khoi, Map Ta Phut-Kaeng Khoi, Kaeng Khoi-Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Ratchasima-Nong Khai.

Construction of Thailand's 873-kilometre-long portion of the railway system is expected to start in mid-2016 and take three years. It will connect to a 417 km line from Vientiane to the northern Lao border and a 520 km line from the Lao border to Kunming.^[20]

See also

• State Railway of Thailand
• High-speed rail in Thailand
• Bangkok Skytrain
• Bangkok Subway
• Transport in Thailand
• Burma Railway also known as Death Railway, Thailand–Burma Railway
• Rapid transit in Thailand
• List of rail accidents in Thailand

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rail transport in Thailand.

• High speed rail system in Thailand
• Winchester, Clarence, ed. (1936), "Trains in Siam", Railway Wonders of the World, pp. 1364–1368  illustrated description of the Siamese railways in the 1930s

Rail transport in Thailand History National railway: State Railway of Thailand Rapid transit Major operators State Railway of Thailand Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand Lists Lines Bridges and viaducts Tunnels Stations Attractions Notable trains Nakhon Phing Express International Express Thaksin Express Eastern and Oriental Express Rolling Stock Locomotives & Multiple Units Siemens Modular Metro British Rail Class 158 British Rail Class 360

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