3rd contract for construction of Bang Sue-Rangsit electric train to be signed

BANGKOK, March 17 (TNA) -- The third contract for the construction of an electric train between Bang Sue and Rangsit, aimed at improving urban communication and easing traffic congestion, will be signed later this month, said State Railway of Thailand (SRT) governor Wuthichart Kalayanamitr. The thrid contract of Bang Sue and Rangsit train project worth 32 billion bath involving operation system and other systems. Mr Wuthichart said the SRT will also purchase 50 new locomotives valued over 6 billion baht while the train agency will rent more than 120 locomotives worth more than 40 billion baht. Delivery of the new locomotives will be made within two years. The SRT will propose to the Transport Ministry late this month for the construction of five dual-track routes, he said. The five dual-track routes consist of Prachuap Khiri Khan-Chumphon with the total distance of 167 kilometres valued about 17.29 billion baht, Map Kabao to Jira Junction 132 kilometres valued about 29.85 billion baht, Nakhon Pathom to Hua Hin 165 kilometres valued 20.04 billion baht; Lop Buri to Nakhon Sawan 148 kilometres valued 24.84 billion baht, and Hua Hin to Prachuap Khiri Khan 90 kilometres valued 9.4 billion baht. The SRT also plans to employ as many as 17,000 persons within the next 3-5 years to fill the necessary positions such as civil engineers, said Mr Wuthichart. The SRT will celebrate its 119th anniversary of its establishment in 2016. (TNA)