Thailand to build own trains, expand rail network to 7,500 km

Thailand is set to advance its railway technology with a government directive for the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and the National Research and Development Institute of Rail Technology (NRDIT) to produce their locomotives and trains.

This initiative aims to expand the country’s rail network from its current 4,044 kilometres to 7,500 kilometres in the future.

Director of the NRDIT, Julathep Khajornchaiyakul, announced that the institute has been tasked with enhancing the country’s railway technology capabilities. The NRDIT, a key research and development body under the Ministry of Transport, will collaborate with Blue Engineering S.r.l, an Italian company renowned for its expertise in railway design and engineering, said Khajornchaiyakul.

“The current government has clear policies for the Ministry of Transport, specifically the SRT and NRDIT, to develop domestic railway manufacturing capabilities. By 2025, we will see a clear operational plan from the NRDIT.”

The NRDIT has already submitted its plan to the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council. Once approved, it will be presented to the Ministry of Transport and the Cabinet for budget allocation in 2026.

The NRDIT plans to produce its first prototype train within the next two years, by 2026 and 2027. The initial focus will be on diesel multiple units (DMUs), with the first phase of production targeting 50 units over the next three years.

Crucial collaboration

This development comes at a pivotal time as Thailand’s automotive industry transitions from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles, presenting an opportunity for collaboration between the NRDIT and local automotive manufacturers. Khajornchaiyakul expects Thai people to benefit from domestically produced locomotives.

“Thai people will benefit from high-quality, domestically produced trains, and the cost is expected to be approximately 20% lower than imported trains, which currently cost between 140 and 150 million baht per unit.”

In conjunction with this technological push, the NRDIT has launched the Think Beyond Track initiative, a creative competition for youth aged 16 to 22 years old in provinces with major railway lines. The competition invites students to submit their ideas for a dream train under the theme, with a total scholarship pool of 420,000 baht available for winners.

This initiative aims to foster creativity and skills among young people, potentially contributing to the future development of Thailand’s railway industry. Applications for the Think Beyond Track competition are open from October 24 to November 24, with submissions closing on December 4.

Khajornchaiyakul emphasised the strategic timing of this development, noting that the shift in the automotive industry provides an ideal moment for Thailand to enhance its railway manufacturing capabilities.

The collaboration with local automotive producers is expected to help sustain Thailand’s automotive industry during this technological transition, reported KhaoSod.