Train services resume in Thailand
Thailand’s train services resumed in the evening at 6 PM today after its workers agreed to end their strike following the government’s assurance that the debt ridden State Railway of Thailand (SRT) will not be privatised.
Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart, who led the talks on behalf of the government, told that SRT and the union would continue talks on three demands made by the union.
The workers union wanted to cancel the approval to restructure SRT that would include dividing it into two companies, with one providing rail services and the other managing its assets.
The union also wanted SRT to withdraw a piece of land in Buri Ram that was given to the Parliament Speaker , Chai Chidchob, and further wanted assurance that it would be informed of all rescue plans embarked by the government to revive the agency that had 72 million Baht indebts.
Thousands of passengers were left stranded after the railway workers went on strike to oppose the plan as they feared that the government was planning to privatise the SRT.
The 2 days strike had cost SRT 30 million Baht in lost revenue of which 18 million Baht was refunded to passengers for worthless tickets and another 12 million Baht was lost due to halting of freight trains.
SRT operates about 145 services throughout the country, and among those disrupted were the Bangkok-Butterworth and Bangkok-Sungai Golok services.