Repairs at Thailand's northern rail line 70% complete

BANGKOK, October 20 (TNA) - The State Railway of Thailand says despite the ongoing heavy rainfall and shortage of workers, repairs on its northern train line is over 70 percent complete and normal passenger rail services there will resume soonest. State Railway Chief Engineer Suprapas Seniwongse Na Ayudhaya said repairs on the rail line from Sila At railway station to the northern capital of Chiang Mai in particular, was due to complete on October 31. He said old wooden sleepers had been substituted with concrete replacements, along with new 100 pound rail lines. State Railway Governor Prapas Jongsanguan, meanwhile, said he was concerned that resuming rail service could be delayed, saying he would go on an inspection tour at focal areas this Tuesday. Frequent derailments in Phrae and Lampang provinces since the beginning of this year up to September had left the State Railway of Thailand with no choice but to halt services there and conduct repairs, costing the agency nearly 2.85 billion baht. (TNA)