Security measures beefed up at Bangkok’s subway system

BANGKOK: Security measures have been intensified at Bangkok’s underground train system, covering all carriages, stations and even its control and maintenance units, following a deadly bombing attack on an underground train in Russia’s St Petersburg City on Monday, Thai News Agency ( TNA) reported.

Peerayudh Singpatanakul, Governor of the staterun Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand ( MRTA), said that the heightened measures were a precaution for security confidence among passengers.

He stressed that he has ordered Bangkok Expressway and Metro Public Company Limited ( BEM), the operator of the subway service in the capital, as well as relevant security agencies to beef up security measures for the entire underground train system in the city.

According to the MRTA chief, the enhanced security measures included a thorough screening of passengers’ carry- on bags, the compound and the vicinity of all subway or MRT stations and even inside all the carriages of all routes, along with deploying more rescue officers for 24-hour standby.

The MRTA governor asked for cooperation from subway passengers for a smooth operation.

At least people were reportedly killed and about 50 others injured in the bombing attack on the underground train running between two tunnel stations in the Russian second largest city, while another bomb planted at a third station was successfully defused by a Russian security team. — Bernama 11