Khr. Responding to the policy of moving forward to develop the rail transport system with standards for sustainability

Rail transport system

Mr. Surapong Piyachote, Deputy Minister of Transport, along with Ms. Naphatra Kamolraksa, Assistant Secretary to the Minister of Transport, and Mr. Somchai Sumanatkhajornkul, Inspector General of the Ministry of Transport, visited and provided operational policies to the Department of Rail Transport.

On October 19, 2023, Dr. Pichet Kunathamrak, Director-General of the Department of Rail Transport, Mr. Athiphu Chitranukroh, Deputy Director-General, civil servants and officials of the Department of Rail Transport welcomed them at the Manangkasila Meeting Room, 2nd floor, Na Thalang Building, K.R.

Mr. Surapong said that according to the transport policy framework “Transportation for the well-being of the people” which aims to create happiness for the people in every dimension, including the economic dimension, the safety dimension, the dimension of providing services that meet international standards, and the dimension of environmental conservation.

The rail transport system is one of the important modes of transportation that can meet all the dimensions mentioned above. Therefore, in order for operations to achieve the set goals, a clear operational policy framework must be established.

To ensure that the operations of the Department of Rail Transport as the main agency in supervising the country’s rail transport system are consistent with government policy and the Ministry of Transport’s policy in driving rail transport missions as follows:

1. Economic: Focuses on regulating and monitoring the development of rail networks both in cities and between cities, the development of intercity rail systems, and the development of dual tracks to connect rail systems both domestically and internationally, with the goal of distributing prosperity both in urban and regional areas and promoting tourism, stimulating the country’s economic system.

• Promote the development of the electric train network in Bangkok and its vicinity (currently 12 lines in service)
• Promote the development of intercity rail transportation networks (total railway network length of 4,044 km, covering 47 provinces, divided into single-track 3,310 km, double-track 627 km, triple-track 107 km)
  

2. Safety: By giving importance to the supervision and monitoring of rail system services by upgrading the facilitation and safety services to international standards in both dimensions of increasing efficiency in social services and commercial services.

The objectives are to reduce risks and losses from rail transport, build confidence among the people using the service, prevent and reduce accidents between road and railway intersections by reducing unnecessary intersections, closing illegal crossings, and promoting the construction of crossings or tunnels over the railway to reduce accidents and reduce travel time, including campaigning to make the public aware of safety.

In addition, modern technology innovations are being used to supervise the system to meet standards and safety to meet the needs of people in the digital age, such as the development of the “DRT Crossing” application that collects a database of road and railway intersections for people to access and view various information, and can report accidents or damaged intersections in the application, which will help relevant agencies to be aware and quickly coordinate solutions to prevent accidents.

• Inspecting the condition of rail transport vehicles and railways to ensure they are ready for use by using technology to assist in management.
• Supervising the provision of services at both city and intercity electric train stations by inspecting safety standards for people, facilities, and development to international standards.
• Pushing for the Railway Transport Act B.E. … to ensure that the supervision of the transport system has the same standards throughout the country and is comparable to international standards. Currently, the draft Railway Transport Act B.E. … is in the process of being revised and improved in parts that are not consistent with the provisions of the law that have changed at present.
• Promote cybersecurity practices for agencies by accelerating the process change to electronic format and upgrading public services in providing information and handling complaints for people using mobile applications, including implementing cybersecurity measures in accordance with the Cybersecurity Act B.E. 2562 to promote cybersecurity practices for agencies to become digital organizations, resulting in data linkage between agencies and rail transport operators (operators), as well as systems used for monitoring and evaluation and rail transport operators such as SRT, MRTA, SRTET, BTS, etc.
• The introduction of technology to monitor or receive complaints, which currently the Department of Rail Transport has developed the “DRT Crossing” application, which will be an online information database and map for people to access information on road and railway intersections via electronic devices and can report accidents or damaged intersections in the application, which will help the Department of Rail Transport know and quickly coordinate solutions to prevent accidents. Or the creation of a database system for operators and the issuance of railway transport licenses via a digital system (e-License R), which will allow the department to collect a database of potential railway transport officials, standard vehicles, and use them to create various licenses related to railway transport, whether they are officials, drivers, business operations, or others, which will make Thai railway transport standardized in the future.

3. In terms of providing services that meet international standards, we continue to upgrade our services to facilitate and connect people who want to access rail transport, as well as respond to service usage, allowing them to travel from the origin to the destination quickly, conveniently, cleanly, safely, on time, and at a reasonable price, supporting people from all groups, areas, and sectors. – Promote guidelines for setting maximum fares, entry fees, and criteria for increasing rail mass transit fares so that people can access rail transport equally and fairly. Most recently, the government announced a policy of 20 baht for electric train fares for the entire line, or a reduction from the current fare of 14 baht to a maximum of 42 baht, leaving a maximum fare of no more than 20 baht for each line, starting from October 16. Two pilot projects will be implemented:

1. The Metropolitan Rapid Transit (MRT) Project, Chalong Ratchadamri Line (Purple Line), Tao Poon-Khlong Bang Phai Section and
2. The Red Line suburban electric train project, Bang Sue-Rangsit section (Thani Ratthaya Line) and Bang Sue-Taling Chan section (Nakhon Withi Line), with a maximum fare of 20 baht for the entire line, will help reduce travel expenses and encourage people to use the rail system to improve their quality of life.

• Promote seamless multi-modal transport by defining/improving the Feeder system to promote access to the rail transport system.
• Domestic and international rail freight transport. Improving the efficiency of freight transport using rail transport systems to reduce transport costs and traffic congestion.
• Passenger transportation, development of facilities to enable all groups of people to access the rail transportation system (Universal Design), as well as development of areas surrounding the station (TOD).

4. Environmental conservation: Finding ways to reduce greenhouse gases to assess the amount of greenhouse gases reduced from Shift Mode and trading them as carbon credits to provide income back to service providers for further investment in infrastructure.

Including supervision and inspection of operating units in the construction area, with the aim of reducing carbon dioxide emissions and PM 2.5 to reduce global warming.

• Promote the use of rail transport instead of private cars to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and PM 2.5.
• Supervise and inspect by inspecting rail transport vehicles to ensure they do not emit black smoke or air pollution exceeding the specified standards.

Mr. Pichet Kunathammarak, Director-General of the Department of Rail Transport, added about the benefits that will be received when the draft Railway Transport Act B.E. … comes into effect, in several aspects, including:

1. There is a law regarding the organizational structure that stipulates that the Department of Rail Transport has duties and authority to supervise rail transport operations, set standards in various areas such as business operations, standards for personnel, safety and maintenance standards, safety system areas, rail connections for joint transport, capacity allocation, and train timetables.
2. There is a national committee chaired by the Prime Minister to set policies and plans for rail transport in line with other transport development plans to form a single network throughout the country and connect with neighboring countries.
3. Promote the private sector to play a role in operating rail transport freely under the rules that are set fairly and equally under the supervision of the Department of Rail Transport, with the allocation of rail transport schedules.
4. Promote the protection of passenger rights in setting fair fares and freight rates, with a committee to set maximum fares and freight rates to facilitate speed and save on travel and freight costs for the public who use the service.
5. Promote the development of areas surrounding rail transit stations to add value to rail transit operations, generating revenue for the government to develop or maintain rail transit and other areas.
6. Establish an accident investigation committee to find the cause of the accident in order to make improvements and prevent further accidents. Department of Rail Transport, Ministry of Transport

These actions are part of the operational plans of the Department of Rail Transport, which is committed to promoting the development of efficient rail transport. Ready to move forward with the development of rail transport and drive operations in accordance with the policies of the government and the Ministry of Transport.

To make rail transport the country’s main transportation system that is modern, safe, and efficient, and to make people’s quality of life and travel convenient, fast, safe, and enjoyable to use, to become “Transportation for the Well-Being of the People”

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Source of information: Department of Rail Transport

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