For the first time in the country’s history, a large number of State Railway of Thailand (SRT) employees have begun a strike that have disrupted train services to many destinations across the country.

The train services to key cities like Chiang Mai and Ubon Ratchathani were now suspended.

It is likely that the suspended services will continue for at least two days.

SRT employees have staged a strike apparently in retaliation against the government’s plan to liberalise cargo-train services in the country.

SRT acting governor Bancha Kongnakorn Wednesday apologised to people for inconveniences from the suspended services.

“We are urgently negotiating with SRT labour union,” he said.

According to him, 110 train drivers and 104 technicians – or about 10 of them – have joined the strike. Their move has affected many routes.

Deputy Transport Minister Sansern Wongchaum said the government’s plan in fact would not affect the welfare and rights of SRT employees, nor it was about the privatisation of SRT.

The abrupt halting of the services; at least five in the north, two in the south and three in the northeastern regions, left hundreds of passengers stranded at the stations.

Sawit Kaewwan, vice president of the railway’s labour union said that the protest will continue until Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont steps in to cancel the draft bill.

“We don’t know when we will stop the protest. We will adopt a strategy that all of our train officials take sick leave. We will also suspend more the train services in many parts,” he said.

In northern province of Phichit, at least two northern trains stopped their service.

In Nakhon Sawan, Chiang Mai train halted its service at 5 am and the Tapan Hin – Bangkok train would not leave its station as scheduled at 5.30am.

Many passengers and students were left stranded at the Phichit station Wednesday morning.

Phichit station chief Wissanu Chankrachang later told the passengers to use other means of transportation as there would be no trains heading to Bangkok Wednesday.

For southern train services, southern-bound services stopped at the provincial railway station in Nakhon Si Thammarat as SRT employees joined the protest.

The trains which have left Bangkok Tuesday evening for Malaysia, Sugnai Kolok, and Trang, stopped at the Nakhon Si Thammarat station.

Passengers were transported on buses to their destinations from the station.

Nakhon Si Thammarat station chief Banchob Phetchuay said it was not clear whether two trains, which are scheduled to leave Nakhon Si Thammarat for Bangkok Wednesday, would be in service or not.

Source: The Nation