Transport ministry orders probe of Phatthalung train derailment

[News Bandit]

BANGKOK, Aug 23 - Transport Duputy Minister Chat Kuldiloke ordered the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) to probe the cause of train derailment in the southern province of Phatthalung early today.

Mr Chat said he was notified about the train derailment and the cause of the incident might have been the result of aging tracks or a mistake in operating the rail shunting as the train was passing the station.

The minister said he ordered the SRT to investigate the incident and conclude what was the cause of the derailment.

Mr Chat said he also instructed SRT management to strictly observe ministry policy to prevent a similar accident by deploying staff to inspect the rail track nationwide regularly.

He said that the number of accidents has been reduced significantly since early April after track inspection.

Meanwhile, SRT assistant chief inspector Sudjai Detsadit said a team of 40 engineers are working to retrieve eight carriages before repairing the damaged rail track.

It will take several hours to finish the task as the section of the railway track is a curve.

Mr Sudjai said that a section of about 200 metres of railway track was damaged. About 100 wooden railway sleepers were found to have decayed, causing the rail track to collapse.(MCOT online news)
 

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