The National Alcohol Policy Committee, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit, approved allowing alcohol sales and consumption on major Buddhist holidays at certain airports operated by Airports of Thailand on July 4, 2024.
However, controversy arose when the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) proposed allowing alcohol sales and consumption at train stations and on trains to promote domestic tourism. This proposal faced strong opposition from various civic networks, including victims of drunk driving and youth health promotion groups.
The civic groups argue that:
1. This proposal would not stimulate the economy or tourism overall, but instead decrease the quality of tourism due to drunk and disorderly behavior.
2. It could lead to noise disturbances, fights, crime, and sexual harassment on trains.
3. It's particularly concerning given that 10 years ago, an intoxicated railway employee raped and killed a 13-year-old girl on a train, which led to the current alcohol ban on trains.
The networks have submitted letters of protest to various officials, including the SRT governor and the Minister of Transport. They demand:
1. Rejection of the proposal to allow alcohol sales/consumption at train stations and on trains.
2. Improvements in railway service quality and safety instead of focusing on alcohol sales.
3. Public hearings before any decision is made on this matter.
4. Reinstatement of railway police to ensure passenger safety.
The civic groups emphasize that allowing alcohol on trains could lead to increased safety risks and negative impacts, especially given that railway police have been disbanded.
Monitoring July 25 for Board Approval of 'Wiris' as SRT Governor
Thai Post, July 24, 2024, 6:05 PM
The vision of 'Wiris', the new candidate for the position of Governor of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), was recently unveiled. The selection committee is set to present the results to the board on July 25, 2024. Wiris expressed confidence despite being an outsider and is eager to develop the organization, introducing ideas to clear the accumulated debt of hundreds of billions and advancing the high-speed rail project connecting three airports.
According to reports, on July 24, 2024, the selection committee for the SRT Governor, led by Apirath Chaiyavongnoi, Director-General of the Department of Rural Roads and a member of the SRT Board, interviewed two candidates who passed the qualifications: 1) Avirut Thongnet, Deputy Governor of SRT, and 2) Wiris Amrapal, Governor of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand. The interviews and vision presentations took place at the SRT boardroom at 1:00 PM.
An SRT insider revealed that after the interviews and presentations, the committee chose Wiris Amrapal as the new SRT Governor, replacing Nirut Manepan, whose term ended on April 24, 2024. The committee plans to present this decision to the SRT board for approval on July 25, 2024, before proceeding with further steps.
Wiris Amrapal, currently Governor of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand, stated that railways are a crucial mode of transport for the country and have seen continuous development. If appointed as the new SRT Governor, he intends to further develop the organization and the railway system for the country's benefit. Addressing concerns about his potential conflict of interest due to his current position and being an outsider, Wiris assured that there are no legal or regulatory conflicts and that he has studied the issue thoroughly. He is confident in his ability to lead, as he has received cooperation and support in his current role.
Regarding SRT's accumulated debt of hundreds of billions, Wiris said he is committed to solving this issue, believing that all organizations face challenges. The SRT has a recovery plan and debt resolution strategies. In his vision presentation, Wiris proposed ideas to address the debt, which, if implemented alongside the recovery plan, could lead to significant progress for the SRT as a vital state enterprise.
Wiris highlighted his priorities if appointed as SRT Governor, including promoting private sector investment (PPP) and advancing major projects like the high-speed rail connecting three airports in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), the dual-track railway projects, and the Thai-Chinese high-speed rail. These infrastructure projects are crucial for improving travel and transportation punctuality.
Avirut Thongnet, another candidate, expressed his readiness for the SRT Governor role, citing his 34 years of experience with the SRT in various departments, including his current position overseeing operations and business strategy. He emphasized the need for SRT to adapt its business model and involve more private investment (PPP) in projects like the Thai-Chinese high-speed rail, the three-airport high-speed rail link, and the Southern Economic Corridor (Chumphon-Ranong) or land bridge, aligning with government policy. Avirut noted that while SRT's revenue has traditionally come from passenger transport, there is a growing focus on increasing revenue from freight services, which has risen from approximately 1.5 billion baht annually a decade ago to 2.2 billion baht currently. Additionally, SRT aims to expand its tourist train services, which are popular with high-spending retirees, from one trip per week to four trips per week for the KIHA trains and from six to twelve steam locomotive trips per year.
ปี 2539 ปริญญาตรี วศ. บ สาขาวิศวกรรมอุตสาหการ สถาบันเทคโนโลยี นานาชาติสิรินธร มหาวิทยาลัยธรรมศาสตร์
ปี 2540 ปริญญาโท วท.ม. สาขา Operations Research มหาวิทยาลัยโคลัมเบีย ประเทศสหรัฐอเมริกา
ปี 2545 ปริญญาเอก วศ.ด . สาขา Industrial and Systems Engineering มหาวิทยาลัยรัทเกอร์ส สหรัฐอเมริกา
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) board has approved the appointment of Mr. Virith Amrapal, the Governor of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT), as the 30th Governor of the SRT. The decision was made after the SRT board reviewed the recommendations of the selection committee, which found Mr. Amrapal to be the most qualified candidate with the highest score.
The appointment process will now move forward to the Compensation Committee, chaired by Mr. Montree Dechasakulsom, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, for further consideration. It is expected that the contract for the new SRT Governor will be signed by September 2024.
Mr. Virith Amrapal's current positions include:
* Governor of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT)
* Board member of Eastern Water Resources Development and Management Public Company Limited
* Board member of Global Utility Service Company Limited
* Subcommittee member of the Finance, Budget, and Investment Subcommittee (IEAT)
* Subcommittee member of the Human Resources, Knowledge Management, and Innovation Subcommittee (IEAT)
* Advisor to the 19th generation of the Waterworks Association of Thailand
Mr. Amrapal's educational background includes:
* Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.) in Industrial Engineering from Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology, Thammasat University (1996)
* Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Operations Research from Columbia University, USA (1997)
* Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Rutgers University, USA (2002)
Thailand's Low Investment Drags Down GDP Due to Government's Focus on Consumption Stimulus
'ttb analytics' reports that Thailand's total investment has declined sharply, contrasting with the rising role of private consumption in the economy. Private consumption has grown at an average of 3.1% compared to total investment's growth of only 0.7% (CAGR 2017-2023), partly due to policies stimulating consumption to support the economy in different periods. This has led to an increase in the share of private consumption from 52% of GDP in 2007 to 60% in 2023, making the current value of private consumption 2.4 times larger than total investment (public and private). This indicates that the Thai economy has been driven by private consumption for decades.
However, Thailand's total investment is too low (underinvestment), contributing to the country's slower economic growth. The total investment value in 2023 was 2.64 trillion baht, still lower than before the 1997 Tom Yum Kung crisis (2.75 trillion baht). The share of total investment in Thailand declined rapidly after the crisis, from 51% of GDP in 1997 to only 25% in 1999, and has remained at this level until now. This makes Thailand's investment relatively low compared to other developing countries like Vietnam and Indonesia, which are at 33% and 30% of GDP, respectively.
Furthermore, Thailand's investment value can be divided into two dimensions:
1. Public investment: The budget allocated for investment is only one-fourth of the total annual budget. Although the annual budget has increased by an average of 4.6% (CAGR fiscal year 2006-2024), the current expenditure (e.g., salaries, wages, operating expenses, debt payments, etc.) has grown by 5.1%, while investment expenditure has only grown by 3.0% per year. Most of the public investment is used for repairing public utilities and roads, with 77% of the total investment budget in the 2023 fiscal year allocated for repairing highways, rural roads, railways, and irrigation projects.
2. Private investment: Private investment has slowed down significantly, from an average growth of 6.2% during 2004-2012 to only 1% during 2013-2023. Some large companies have turned to investing more abroad, resulting in net outward foreign direct investment (TDI netflow) of 300-600 billion baht per year. Conversely, inward foreign direct investment (FDI) has also been declining and is lower than competitors like Indonesia and Vietnam. FDI in traditional industries like petroleum and manufacturing has also declined significantly recently.
To boost Thailand's economic growth to an average of 3-4% per year, it is necessary to increase the share of investment to 35-40% of GDP (24.4% of GDP in 2023) through four recommendations:
1. Increase large-scale public investment: Although public investment accounts for 25% of total investment, the lack of large-scale public investment for a long time has led to a decrease in the crowding-in effect on private investment.
2. Focus on promoting digital investment.
3. Increase policies to support domestic investment: This includes providing sufficient incentives to attract foreign investment. In the past, the government has focused on stimulating consumption, leaving little fiscal space to stimulate other sectors. Measures to promote domestic investment are still limited, and regulatory constraints remain a significant obstacle to doing business. Political uncertainty has also contributed to the lack of policy continuity.
4. Enhance Thai labor productivity.
State Railway of Thailand PR Team
July 28, 2024, 20:02
State Railway of Thailand Clarifies Dust Cleaning Operations in Pha Sadet Tunnel
Announces Temporary Route Change for Ubon Ratchathani Trains
Following the circulation of images on social media regarding dust inside the Pha Sadet Tunnel after its first day of operation,
Mr. Eakkarach Sri-arayangpong, Head of the Governor's Office, State Railway of Thailand, explained that in response to this issue, Mr. Surapong Piyachoti, Deputy Minister of Transport, has ordered the State Railway to urgently address the problem. The Special Projects and Construction Department staff were immediately dispatched to inspect the area. It was found that the dust had accumulated in the tunnel, blown in by air currents after construction was completed. Although fans were used to blow out dust before opening the service, some dust still remained.
The State Railway acknowledges the problem and has begun to address it. They have coordinated with the contractor to perform heavy water cleaning and use fans to completely remove the dust. This process will take 14 days, allowing the tunnel route to reopen on August 12, 2024.
During the cleaning process, the State Railway must temporarily reroute 14 passenger trains on the Ubon Ratchathani line in both directions. They will use the original route: Map Kabao Station - Pha Sadet - Hin Lap - Muak Lek, a distance of 18 km, taking 32 minutes. After the improvements are completed, the State Railway will inspect and test the route again before resuming normal service.
The Pha Sadet Tunnel is 5.2 km long, consisting of two single-track tunnels separating inbound and outbound trains. It is currently the longest railway tunnel in Thailand, located on the new double-track railway between Map Kabao and Muak Lek stations, covering 14 km in 15 minutes, greatly facilitating travel connections.
Finally, the State Railway will expedite the problem-solving process according to the set schedule. They apologize to passengers for any inconvenience and thank everyone for their feedback, which will be used to further improve their services.
SRT's 300 Billion Baht Debt Legacy Challenges New Governor
Source - Bangkok Business Online
Monday, July 29, 2024 09:08
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is about to undergo a leadership transition in the next month, with a new governor from outside the organization taking the helm.
The SRT's selection committee has recommended "Weerish Amrapal," the current governor of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT), as the most suitable candidate for the position. The selection process will now move on to salary negotiations and a thorough background check. If all goes well, the new governor is expected to sign a contract in early September.
However, the new governor will face the daunting task of turning around the SRT's financial situation. The organization has been operating at a loss and currently has a debt of 300 billion baht. Additionally, it plans to borrow 18 billion baht for operations in the 2025 fiscal year due to projected cash flow shortages.
The SRT estimates that it will have 39.856 billion baht in cash receipts and 57.956 billion baht in cash disbursements in the 2025 fiscal year. This includes a projected revenue of 10.881 billion baht and expenses of 23.541 billion baht. The SRT also has to bear the burden of interest payments and loan expenses exceeding 6.293 billion baht.
The new governor will have to tackle these financial challenges and implement the SRT's revitalization plan for the years 2026-2030. The plan aims to transform the SRT into a platform provider for connectivity and transportation, focusing on revitalizing its core business, diversifying revenue streams, and achieving positive EBITDA.
The success of the new governor will be measured by the SRT's ability to become profitable, reduce its accumulated losses, and operate without increasing its debt burden.
Demand for NACC - SEPO to Investigate the Entire Board of the State Railway of Thailand and Ministry of Transport on the Appointment of the New SRT Governor, Alleging Lack of Qualifications and Conflict of Interest
Source: Manager Online
On July 31, 2024, the National Anti-Corruption Media Network urged the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to investigate the actions of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) Board and the selection committee for insisting on appointing Veeris Ammarapala as the new SRT Governor, despite his lack of qualifications and potential conflicts of interest. Despite multiple objections, the decision to move forward has been criticized. The network plans to file complaints with the Ombudsman and the State Enterprise Policy Office (SEPO).
On July 31, Mr. Akom Uppakaew, Vice President of the National Anti-Corruption Media Network, submitted a formal complaint to the President of the NACC to investigate the improper actions of the SRT Board and the selection committee in appointing Mr. Veeris Ammarapala, who is currently the Governor of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT), as the new SRT Governor. The complaint alleges that Mr. Ammarapala lacks the necessary qualifications according to several legal provisions and regulations.
According to the selection committees announcement dated April 29, 2024, one of the qualifications for candidates (section 3.1.11) specifies that they must not have been directors, executives, or involved in managing or having interests in a legal entity that holds concessions, partnerships, or has conflicting interests with the SRT's operations, unless appointed as a chairman or director by the SRT. Furthermore, section 27 of the State Railway of Thailand Act prohibits individuals with direct or indirect contractual interests with the SRT from holding the position.
Additionally, the complaint cites the lack of qualifications or prohibitions under sections 8 (trī) and 32 of the Standard Qualifications for Directors and Employees of State Enterprises Act, B.E. 2518, and its amendments. Section 8 (trī) states that a person must not have been a director, executive, or involved in managing or having interests in a legal entity with concessions or partnerships related to the state enterprise in the last three years, unless appointed by the state enterprise.
Section 32 further stipulates that those engaged in competing businesses or holding shares in companies that compete with the SRT, or those having contractual interests with the SRT, cannot hold the Governor's position.
The complaint highlights media reports stating that Mr. Ammarapala, as the IEAT Governor, signed a 30-year lease agreement with the SRT for land in the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate. This lease is deemed a conflict of interest and a clear disqualification for the SRT Governor role. Despite this, the selection committee proceeded with his appointment.
The case also references a previous SEPO directive concerning qualifications and prohibitions for state enterprise directors, citing a 2009 ruling by the Council of State that disqualified an applicant for the role of Managing Director at Airports of Thailand Public Co., Ltd. (AOT) due to similar conflicts of interest.
The network has called on the NACC to urgently investigate and take action against those involved in these alleged legal violations. Besides submitting complaints to the NACC, the network will also file complaints with SEPO, which oversees state enterprises, and the Ombudsman.
SRT Requests Police to Regulate Roads Along Phadung Krung Kasem Canal Due to Public Complaints About Obstruction, Waste, and Crime
Date:August 1, 2024, 1:04 PM
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has sought the cooperation of the Pathumwan Police Station to regulate the area along the Phadung Krung Kasem Canal. This request follows public complaints about cars obstructing the roads, waste accumulation, and rising crime issues. The aim is to enhance the landscape and increase safety around Hua Lamphong Station for the public.
Ekarat Sreearayanpong, Head of the Governor's Office of the SRT, revealed that as the owner of the area, the SRT has coordinated with the Pathumwan Police Station to organize traffic along both sides of the Phadung Krung Kasem Canal from Bangkok Station (Hua Lamphong) to the former Nop Wongs Railway Police Office. This measure aims to address traffic congestion and reduce the risk of road accidents, ensuring safety for commuters and residents.
The complaints highlighted the frequent parking of private and commercial vehicles in the area, which is near several schools, affecting traffic flow during peak hours. Additionally, the parked vehicles obstruct visibility for drivers and pedestrians and contribute to waste accumulation, which could lead to crime-related problems. Immediate action is needed to address these issues.
The enforcement of strict traffic laws is expected to alleviate congestion and reduce the risk of accidents. This will help restore order and safety to the area, enhance the aesthetic appeal of Bangkok Station (Hua Lamphong), and improve the quality of life for residents in the vicinity.
The SRT urges the public to strictly follow traffic rules, such as avoiding parking in no-parking zones, adhering to speed limits, and stopping for pedestrians at crosswalks to prevent accidents and ensure safe travel for all.
Due to the difficulties faced by citizens traveling on the Nakhon Si Thammarat - Bangkok train route (Train No. 86) and the Bangkok - Nakhon Si Thammarat route (Train No. 85), as well as all southern train routes passing through Thung Song Junction Station, where sleeper tickets for both first and second class are fully booked, forcing passengers to make reservations months in advance, we would like to request the State Railway of Thailand to increase the number of sleeper cars, both first and second class, on all southern train routes that pass through Thung Song Junction Station.
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