New Thai unit to be set up for high speed train management

BANGKOK, December 25 (TNA) - The Thai Ministry of Transport plans to establish a subsidiary or a new business unit in charge of the independent management of the country's high speed train projects in the coming years. Vice Minister for Transport Pailin Chuchottaworn told journalists of the plan on December 24, noting that Thai Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith has assigned him to conduct a feasibility study on the plan as the first phase of a high speed train project, linking Bangkok with the country's northeastern Nakhon Ratchasima Province, or Korat, is scheduled to be ready for its test run in 2022. "The construction of the first phase-high speed train project, on the Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima route, is scheduled to be completed by 2021 and to be ready for its test run a year later before its official launch for public services in 2023. So, the new subsidiary or business unit, planned to be under the supervision of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), is to be prepared", Pailin explained. Pailin said he is studying on how to be efficiently handled the new subsidiary or business unit to ensure its independent and flexibility in the management of Thai high speed train projects in the coming years, in terms of its budget and investment plans, as well as other relevant issues, taking the case of S.R.T. Electrified Train Company Limited (SRTET), which is an SRT subsidiary having set up for the management of the Airport Rail Link electric train project, into a careful consideration and a good lesson. According to the vice minister, an amendment of relevant laws may be needed to assure the efficient management of the new SRT subsidiary or business unit. (TNA)