Hokkaido’s old express train gets new life in Thailand

BANGKOK — e State Railway of ailand (SRT) has shown local media its progress in creating a tourist train from a refurbished Japanese rolling stock train.

e locomotive, which was Hokkaido Railway Co.’s “Okhotsk” limited express train, ran through the suburbs of Bangkok during a test on Sept. 6. SRT spent more than half a year xing the aged train cars, including painting them and replacing parts.

“Used Japanese train cars are of high quality and can still run for years to come,” said Gov. Nirut Maneephan. “To show the good relationship between our two countries, we have left some Japanese elements, [such as Japanese writing], inside the cars.”

While the use of older Japanese railcars is expanding in Southeast Asia, new railcars are also being introduced in line with economic growth. (Sept. 16)

The Yomiuri Shimbun Local media and State Railway of Thailand officials take photos of the newly painted train in Chachoengsao, Thailand, on Sept. 6.