UNION ENDS STRIKE, TRAIN SERVICE RESUMES IN THAILAND

BANGKOK, June 23 (Bernama) -- Thailand's train service resumed at 6pm
Tuesday after its workers' union agreed to end their strike following the
government's assurance that the debt-ridden State Railway of Thailand (SRT)
would not be privatised.

Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart, who led the talks with union
representatives, told the media that the SRT and the union would continue talks
on three demands made by the workers.

He said the union wanted the Cabinet to cancel the approval to restructure
SRT that would involve splitting it into two companies, with one providing rail
services and the other running its assets.

The union also wants SRT to withdraw a piece of land in Buri Ram that was
given to Parliament Speaker, Chai Chidchob, and to be informed of all rescue
plans embarked by the government to revive the agency that has about 72 billion
baht in debts.

Thousands of passengers were stranded across Thailand yesterday and today
after railway workers went on strike to oppose the plan as they feared that the
government was planning to privatise the SRT.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva gave his assurance that the government had
no plans to privatise the railway sector and was merely trying to rescue the
SRT.
SRT operates about 145 services throughout the country, and among those
disrupted were the Bangkok-Butterworth and Bangkok-Sungai Golok services.
-- BERNAMA