THAILAND | Railways

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SRT Light Red Lines Extension Update

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[yuriwon]

So, Light Red Lines is not electric train right?

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Directors want quick data on SRT land plots

THE NATION Published on September 26, 2009


The State Railway of Thailand's board will ask the agency to speed up its work on providing details of its land plots, including the commercial-land development plan, with top priority given to those in the Ratchadaphisek area of Bangkok. SRT director Suphoth Sublom yesterday said the board would instruct the governor, Yutthana Thapcharoen, to this effect at the upcoming board meeting.

He said the board had ordered the state agency to speed up its work a long time ago, including how many plots are owned by SRT and how to add value to them, but it had seen no progress.

The board therefore has no details about the extent of SRT's land ownership, Suphoth said.


He said there was preliminary evidence that some parties had exploited the SRT's land for their personal interest, but he declined to elaborate.

Suphoth said the Ratchadaphisek plots would be the first for which the board wanted the state agency to come up with details, including the number of plots in the area, their current rental rates and how to add value to them.

An SRT source said that according to a preliminary survey of the SRT's nationwide land assets, 198,674 rai was being used for operations, while another 36,302 rai had commercial potential. A further 5,333 rai is for rail stations, and 3,755 rai is for the residences of SRT officials.

Another 189,586 rai is land along the agency's rail tracks.

Of the land with commercial potential, 4,952 rai is along the Eastern Seaboard, 4,306 rai in the North, 9,032 rai in the Northeast and 15,186 rai in the South.

Another 2,825 rai is in metropolitan Bangkok. Some 1,070 rai of these plots in the Phaholyothin Road area and 745 rai in Makkasan can be used for commercial development.


The Transport Ministry previously ordered Yutthana to examine which SRT land-rental contracts had already expired.

[k.k.jetcar]

Sources state seven fatalities. Cause may be switching error.

http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%...06-172044.html

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why make a thread about it???

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uh oh not another train crash...

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Update SRT Light Line 9/10/2009

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Finance Ministry still backs SRT revamp

THE NATION Published on October 26, 2009


The Finance Ministry still backs a proposal that would separate investment in rail infrastructure from rolling stock operations and land management, despite strong opposition to the idea from the labour union of the State Railway of Thailand.

The staff of SRT would not lose anything from the restructuring plan, which had been approved by former leaders of the workers' union, said Kulit Sombatsiri, deputy director-general of the State Enterprise Policy Office (SEPO).


According to the restructuring plan approved by the Cabinet in June, the SRT would be responsible for investment in the rail system and depots and the government would provide financial support for these activities.


In addition, two companies, which would be wholly owned by the SRT, would be set up: one to operate rolling stock and the other to manage land owned by the agency.


Kulit said about 10 per cent of the SRT's plots have high potential for commercial use, including land in Lat Phrao district rented by Central Group, and plots in Makkasan and Bang Kra Jao's Chong Nonsee.


For rolling stock, one business unit would operate the Airport Rail Link between Suvarnabhumi Airport and downtown Bangkok.


Kulit said if SRT executives and workers could not solve their conflicts, Germany's Seimens may be asked to run the Airport Rail Link temporarily when its starts service early next year.


The other two rolling-stock business units would operate passenger and goods transportation.


"Workers of the SRT would be transferred to these three business units and their welfare would be protected," he added.


The reorganisation of staff would be similar to that implemented by PTT, the country's largest energy group, he said.


However, the business units of the SRT would not be listed on the stock exchange, according to the plan.


The government has earmarked Bt180 billion under the second economic-stimulus package for new investment in the rail system and mass-transit projects over the next three years. Bt60 billion of this will be managed by the SRT, including buying new locomotives and carriages.


Following the Cabinet's approval of the planned revamp earlier this year, the SRT labour union held a national strike, causing the government to delay the restructuring plan.


The latest strike by some workers operating the southern route has forced Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to step in, vowing to push forward SRT reform. Public sentiment was against the recent action by the union.


Kulit said the matter was now beyond the duty of the SEPO, but the government had to take action.


"If the government insists on the previous Cabinet's resolution, then the SEPO will consult with the Transport Ministry and other agencies about an implementation plan," he said.


The SEPO predicts that an upgrade of the rail system would provide significantly lower costs for goods transportation when compared with road transportation.


For example, the cost of transporting manufactured goods by road would be Bt3.39 per tonne per kilometre, while that for rail would be Bt2.70. The cost of transporting farm products by truck would be Bt2.88 per tonne per kilometre, against Bt2.19 by train.


Overall logistics costs are currently estimated to be about 19 per cent of gross domestic product, due to the over-reliance on road transportation rather than rail.


The private sector has called for this proportion to be reduced to 10-15 per cent over the next five years.


The SEPO estimates that the SRT will this year report a loss of about Bt10 billion, against last year's Bt8.5-billion deficit.


In a related development, the SEPO will closely scrutinise whether several state concessions are being properly implemented.

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SRT to seek funds| for infrastructure

THE NATION Published on October 29, 2009


State Railway of Thailand chairman Tawalyarat Onsira is planning to propose a five-year investment plan, worth nearly Bt80 billion, to the Transport Ministry soon.The budget is for improving railway infrastructure.

It is believed the move will help reduce conflicts between SRT top management and the labour union as well as ensure the smooth running of services in the South.

Tawalyarat, who is also deputy permanent secretary to the Transport Ministry and chairman of a panel responsible for improving the SRT's infrastructure, revealed yesterday that of the Bt80 billion, Bt42 billion would be used to construct double-track rail routes.

In addition, about Bt17 billion would be spent on improving railways, sleepers, bridges, crossing points and signalling to ensure safety, while the remaining roughly Bt20 billion would be for improving locomotives, cargo carriages and passenger bogies.

"It is a five-year plan and is expected to be completed by 2014," Tawalyarat said.


In addition, he said there would be a 10-year railway development plan worth Bt708.86 billion for four high-speed rail projects. The high-speed trains, expected to run at 250 kilometres per hour, will be earmarked for the Bang Sue-Chiang Mai, Bang Sue-Nong Khai, Makkasan-Chanthaburi and Bang Sue-Padang Besar routes.

Tawalyarat said the private sector would be invited to invest in all projects and be granted operating concessions in return.

"Transport Minister Sophon Saram will propose this plan to investors in China who are interested in Thailand's railway," he added.


However, he said the SRT would continue with its plans |to procure additional loco-motives. Of the locomotives bought, 80 per cent will be |owned by the SRT, while the remainder will be part of a |joint venture with the private |sector. Initially, the authority expected to procure more 100 locomotives.

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Update 06/11/09