PHITSANULOK – Rail passengers in Phitsanulok are being warned that trains stopping there will be more punctual during the 45-day track maintenance period for the far northern railway, and should ensure they arrive at the station on time so they don't miss their train.
A station master gives the green flag for a train to depart Phitsanulok station.
Saksing Wongsanguansodsri, chief ticket officer at Phitsanulok station, said trains will no longer be up to two hours late, as in the past, because the south-bound service would now leave from Sila-art station in Uttaradit, which is only about 100km away, and not Chiang Mai, which is 362km distant.
For example, he said express train No. 102, Sila-art–Bangkok, will leave Sila-art at noon and arrive in Phitsanulok on time at 2pm, and train No. 408, Sila-art–Nakhon Sawan, will arrive Phitsanulok at 5.23pm, again it will be on time.
Mr Saksing said regular travellers often arrive at the station well after the scheduled departure time because they expect the train to be late. They will have to change their habits - or miss the train.
The station normally serves 28 trains each day, but during the maintenance period four services will be suspended.
State Railway of Thailand governor Prapat Chongsanguan said an track mantenance revealed there are 17 spots with a combined distance of 17km where the surface below the track is not strong enough. Track engineers will decide on the appropriate method of repairing those areas.
The SRT has increased number of workers on the track to 525, up from 245, in order to ensure the repairs and upgrading of the track between Uttaradit and Chiang Mai is completed by Oct 31, as scheduled, he said
He promised that the full northern rail service would then resume on Nov 1, and there would be no more derailments.
“If there are derailments after this maintenance period, then someone must be held responsible," he said. "I will be the first person to take responsibility and I’m ready to resign.”