Southern trains still out of service

The management and labour union of the State Railway of Thailand failed to reach a settlement in their talks on Tuesday and trains on southern routes to Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat are still not running.

SRT deputy governor Itthipol Prapawasith and Sawit Kaewwan led the two sides at the talks.

Mr Sawit said the union would not budge from its condition that the SRT must sign a written agreement setting a  definite time frame to finish repairs to poorly maintained locomotives before the rail services to the three southern border provinces would be allowed to resume.

He said there were still 70 locomotives which had not been repaired.  At least 21 locomotives were required to put the trains back in service, he added.

He said Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva should not have  said disciplinary action willbe taken against rail workers who had taken leave,  bringing train services in the far South to a halt.

Mr Sawit said the union had not broken the law. It was the SRT management that failed to meet the union's demands, he said.

He said the court issued an order that union members must not obstruct train services without giving the union a chance to explain its side of the dispute. The union had a right to justice.

The SRT announced that SRT deputy governor Viroj Triampongpan, who went to Hat Yai, had reported that there were sufficient locomotives in a serviceable condition.