Thailand's economy-classed trains to be upgraded

BANGKOK, September 14 (TNA) - The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is upgrading its economy-classed trains, with a new look set to be unveiled to passengers by March 2017. Thai Deputy Transport Minister Ormsin Chivapruck told journalists on Wednesday that during a meeting with the SRT Board on September 13, he was informed of the SRT move to complete the improvement of all its 149 economy-classed train compartments by the first quarter of next year. Ormsin said the move marks the 120th anniversary of the SRT's establishment. Meanwhile, SRT Governor Wuthichart Kalayanamitr assessed that the improvement should cost SRT about 2 million baht per compartment, noting that all facilities of each economy-classed bogey will be modified, including seats, flooring, electrical systems and restrooms. According to the governor, SRT plans to complete part of the modification over the next three months, after which the upgraded train bogeys will undergo a test run, before the completion of all the economy-classed compartments by March 2017. (TNA)