First lot of new freight rail cars arrives in Thailand

BANGKOK, July 27 (TNA) - The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has received the first lot of goods carriages, as SRT is gearing up to increase the efficiency of the country's rail transportation from Inland Container Deport (ICD) in Bangkok's Lat Krabang area to Laem Chabang Deep Seaport in seaside Chon Buri Province in the Thai East in line with the government’s logistics strategy. SRT Governor Wutthichart Kalayanamitr told journalists on Wednesday that SRT has had a contract with Siam Bogie Co.,Ltd to procure a total of 308 new freight carriages and spare parts. Wutthichart stated that the first lot of 150 carriages, manufactured by China National Machinery Import & Export Corporation (CMC), arrived at Laem Chabang Port on July 26 and a full test run will be conducted before the service starts soonest possible. Wutthichart said the second lot of 158 freight carriages will be delivered in September 2016, two months ahead of its previous schedule. The governor said the overall 308 new goods carriages will increase SRT's efficiency in freight train services and ratio of rail transport, from only about 3 per cent of the country’s total value of transportation currently. According to the SRT governor, the new freight carriages will be used with seven diesel electric locomotives, purchased earlier, to boost by double the efficiency of cargo and containter transport, from seven million tons annually now to 15 million tons yearly. (TNA)