SRT plans new centre to ramp up network efficiency

A new “Railway Excellence Centre” supervised by the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) could be established by the end of the year, the authority’s deputy governor for strategic operations Sirima Hiruncharoenvate said yesterday.

The proposed centre’s duties would involve collecting information such as reported malfunctions in the SRT’s systems, and know-how for upcoming projects with other countries.

She said talks began in 2014, when the SRT was commissioned by the Transport Ministry to introduce a quality-monitoring organisation for the authority’s operations. According to SRT reports, the centre would be the first of its kind in the country.

“Plans to set up the centre were bolstered by the Thai-Chinese high-speed railway project, since there has to be a clear organisation that receives and manages the know-how gained from its design and construction,” Ms Sirima said.

Construction of the railway’s first phase from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima, worth 179 billion baht, has been under way since last year, with land-clearing and digging for the railway’s embankments being carried out by the Department of Highways.

The second phase, which will run from Nakhon Ratchasima to Nong Khai, will complete the Bangkok to Nong Khai route. It is still in an early planning stage.

Reports from the ministry say Thailand plans to use the know-how gleaned from the first phase to build the second phase without relying as much on China.

“We can’t say for sure when the Railway Excellence Centre will be established,” Ms Sirima said.

Deputy Transport Minister Pailin Chuchottaworn, who is set to chair the centre’s governing board, said yesterday it will work in tandem with a proposed department for railway transport.

The department would be the main regulator and enforcer of all railway transport networks in the country, while the Railway Excellence Centre will act as a policy drafting body.

Reports from the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning say the department for railway transport could be established by the end of this year.

Ms Sirima said the SRT is pushing to employ more people to boost staff numbers in essential areas. At present it can only hire five people for every 100 who retire.