Excellent Air-Conditioned 3rd Class Trains Ready
Source - Daily News
Thursday, February 27, 2025 04:50
Starting with 40 Carriages at 295 Million Baht, First 5 Carriages to be in Service by June Next Year
Mr. Weeris Ammapal, Governor of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), revealed that the SRT's Mechanical Department has submitted the Terms of Reference (TOR) document detailing the scope of work for the project to upgrade 3rd class fan carriages to air-conditioned carriages. This is for the first lot of 40 carriages with a budget of 295.60 million Baht, in accordance with the regulations on government procurement and asset management, using the e-bidding method. The proposal has been submitted to the Procurement Department, and it is expected that the invitation to bid will be published and bidding will open around June-August 2025. The contractor is expected to be selected and the contract signed with the winning bidder around December 2025.
Following this, SRT will deliver the carriages in a total of 8 installments, 5 carriages per installment. For the first installment, the contractor must complete the upgrades and deliver them to SRT within 150 days from the date of carriage handover, or approximately by May 2026, totaling 5 carriages. The remaining 35 carriages will be gradually completed until all are finished by early 2028. For the remaining 90 carriages, budget approval will be requested for the fiscal years 2026 and 2027 for gradual implementation. It is anticipated that the first set of 40 upgraded carriages will be ready to gradually enter service around June 2026, which will help elevate services and allow the public to access better quality services.
Mr. Weeris further stated that currently, SRT has approximately 300-400 units of 3rd class carriages. Initially, the upgrade will begin with 130 carriages, with a total budget of 939.70 million Baht. The first lot will consist of 40 carriages, and efforts will be expedited to complete them all gradually. In the upgrade process, related departments have been emphasized to ensure that taking carriages for upgrades does not impact public service provision. Sufficient train sets must be allocated to maintain services. The upgrades will include the installation of air conditioning, redesigning seats for improved comfort, upgrading toilets to closed systems, interior renovations, and the use of air-conditioned power cars as a power source for various systems within the carriages. The fare structure after upgrading to air-conditioned carriages is currently under consideration and discussion with relevant parties. Currently, the 3rd class train fare starts at 2 Baht. SRT is striving to improve various services to ensure passenger convenience and safety. Furthermore, SRT is accelerating the procurement of new train sets to ensure sufficient service and to support the nationwide double-track railway project. A project to procure 184 new air-conditioned diesel railcar carriages for 1st and 2nd class commercial services, including spare parts, with a total budget of 24,150 million Baht, has been proposed to the Ministry of Transport for submission to the Cabinet (Cabinet of Ministers) for consideration.
Mr. Weeris also mentioned that if the Cabinet approves the project, bidding is expected to open in September 2025, with winning bidders announced in July 2026. Deliveries and service commencement will be gradual, starting in 2027 with the first batch of 60 carriages, and continuing until all 184 carriages are delivered by April 2030. Regarding the project to procure 182 carriages to replace express and rapid trains, including spare parts, with a total budget of 10,502 million Baht, it has also been proposed to the Ministry of Transport for submission to the Cabinet. If approved, bidding is expected to open in February 2026, with the first 2 train sets delivered around May 2028, followed by 4 more train sets in September 2028, another 4 around January 2029, and the final 4 train sets in May 2029.
"The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is preparing to launch a tender for the renovation of 40 third-class train cars, converting them from fan-cooled to air-conditioned, with a budget of 295.6 million baht. These renovated cars are expected to enter service starting in June 2026. This initiative precedes the planned procurement of 366 new trains, which are currently awaiting cabinet approval through the Ministry of Transport.
Mr. Veeris Ammarapal, Governor of the SRT, explained to the Daily News Transport Innovation News Team that the SRTs Mechanical Division has submitted the detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the project to the Procurement Division. The project, adhering to government procurement regulations, will utilize electronic bidding (E-bidding). The bidding process is anticipated to commence between June and August 2025, with the winning contractor selected and contracted by December 2025.
The renovation will proceed in eight installments, each involving five cars. The first five cars are required to be completed and delivered within 150 days of the contractor receiving them, targeting May 2026. The remaining 35 cars will be delivered progressively, with the entire batch of 40 expected to be finished by early 2028. An additional 90 cars are planned for renovation, subject to budget approvals in 2026 and 2027. The initial 40 renovated cars are projected to be in service by June 2026, aiming to enhance passenger comfort and service quality.
Mr. Veeris further elaborated that the SRT operates approximately 300-400 third-class cars. The current project targets the renovation of 130 cars, with a total budget of 939.7 million baht. The renovation will include installing air conditioning, redesigning seats for improved comfort, upgrading toilets to closed systems, enhancing interior design, and utilizing air-conditioned power cars to supply electricity. Discussions regarding revised fare structures are ongoing with relevant parties and will be finalized upon completion of the air-conditioning upgrades. Currently, third-class fares start at 2 baht.
Mr. Veeris emphasized the SRT's commitment to improving passenger convenience and safety. The SRT is also accelerating the procurement of new rolling stock to ensure sufficient service capacity and support the expansion of dual-track rail lines nationwide. A proposal for the procurement of 184 new air-conditioned diesel rail buses (Class 1 and Class 2) for commercial service, including spare parts, totaling 24.15 billion baht, has been submitted to the Ministry of Transport for cabinet consideration.
If approved, the bidding process for the new diesel rail buses is expected to begin in September 2025, with the contract awarded in July 2026. The first batch of 60 cars will be delivered and commissioned starting in 2027, with the full order of 184 cars completed by April 2030.
Additionally, a proposal to procure 182 new special express and express replacement trains, including spare parts, with a budget of 10.502 billion baht, has also been submitted to the Ministry of Transport for cabinet approval. If approved, the bidding is anticipated to open in February 2026, with the first two trains delivered around May 2028, followed by subsequent deliveries in September 2028, January 2029, and May 2029."
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