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No love for the airport rail link
- Published: 18 Apr 2011 at 09.23
- Online news: Easier Stuff
It is hard to find a single positive comment about the rail link project between central Bangkok and Suvarnabhumi airport.
No escalators, no trolleys, no car park and no connecting facilities are just some of the complaints.
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It is hard to find a single positive comment about the rail link project between central Bangkok and Suvarnabhumi airport.
The criticisms just seem to get harsher and harsher with “debacle” and “fiasco” now popular choices.
Officials have been bombarded with complaints.
There have been complaints that the terminals at the stations are badly signposted; there are no escalators; and there are no trolleys for passengers with heavy bags to use. Other complaints include the lack of a car park and no facilities linking the stations to public transport.
Service too is said to be shoddy for a trip costing up to 150 baht.
Passengers also complain the train "looks old" and the seats are uncomfortable. Many passengers are also upset by the way the doors to the train shut with heavy force.
The 28-kilometre Airport Rail Link between central Bangkok and Suvarnabhumi airport has been plagued with these problems after less than one year of trials and service.
A lack of spare parts has been a recurrent problem, worsened by unusual wear to some key components.
Carbon brushes, for example – an essential component in the brakes of the electric-powered train – were supposed to last six months, but failed after only three days of use.
Pakorn Tangjedsakao, acting managing director of SRT Electric Train Co, which manages the rail link project, said express train services were halted after the company ran out of the carbon brushes, which are worth about 100,000 baht each.
Amazingly, at the beginning of the project no contract was made to arrange for the stocks of spare parts, Mr Pakorn said.
Not surprisingly, the rail link service has not been popular with passengers. Permanent secretary for transport Supoj Saplom says there are only about 700 rail link passengers a day, well below the target of 2,200, although the City Line for commuters still can attract between 36,000 to 40,000 a day.
As a result, Mr Supoj says the service is losing about 42 million baht a month.
Officials are promising major new investments but unless dramatic improvements are made soon, it may be difficult to win back unhappy customers.
Adapted from a story in today's Bangkok Post by Amornrat Mahitthirook. You can read the full story here: http://bit.ly/hWyOFx . For the rail link website, go here: http://airportraillink.railway.co.th/en/index.html .
escalator – a set of moving stairs that take people from one level to another in a large building บันไดเลื่อน
trolley – a large container with wheels that you push and use for carrying things in a supermarket or at an airport, train station, etc. รถเข็น
facilities – the buildings, equipment and services provided for a particular purpose สิ่งอำนวยความสะดวก
complaint – when someone says that something is wrong or not satisfactory การร้องเรียน
positive – in a good way ในทางบวก
link – a connection การเชื่อมต่อ
criticism – comments that show that you think something is wrong or bad การวิจารณ์
harsh – strict, unkind and very strong อย่างรุนแรง
debacle – something that fails completely in an embarrassing way การพังทลาย, การแตกสลาย, ความหายนะกะทันหัน
fiasco – something planned that goes wrong and is a complete failure, usually in an embarrassing way ความล้มเหลวอย่างสิ้นเชิง
bombard – to ask someone so many questions, give them so much information etc that it is difficult for them to deal with it all ระดม (คำถาม ความคิด คำวิจารณ์) เข้าใส่
terminal - a large building where passengers arrive and leave อาคารผู้โดยสาร
signpost – to mark a road, place, etc. with signposts giving information เสาติดป้ายบอกข้อมูล
lack of – when there is not enough of something ขาด
public transport – the system of buses, trains, etc. provided by the government or by companies, which people use to travel from one place to another ขนส่งมวลชน
shoddy – made or done badly and with not enough care คุณภาพต่ำ
upset – very worried, angry or sad about something ทำให้หงุดหงิด
plagued – caused a lot of problems for someone or something for a long period of time ทำให้ยุ่งยาก ลำบากมานาน
trial – a test, usually over a limited period of time, to discover how effective or suitable something or someone is การทดลอง, การทดสอบ
spare part – a new part that you buy to replace an old or broken part of a car, machine, etc ของอะไหล่, สิ่งที่เก็บไว้สำรอง
recurrent – that happens again and again เกิดขึ้นอีก,ปรากฎบ่อย ๆ
wear – the damage or loss of quality that is caused when something has been used a lot ความเสื่อมเสีย
key – very important ที่สำคัญ
component – a part which combines with other parts to form something bigger ส่วนประกอบ,ส่วนเสริม
carbon brush – a device which conducts current between stationary wires and moving parts
essential – necessary ที่จำเป็น
last – to continue to be used; to continue to exist; ทนทาน, สืบต่อไป
halt – to stop หยุด
contract – an official written agreement สัญญา
stock – an amount of something that you keep so that you can use it when you need it ที่เก็บไว้ในสต๊อก
popular – a situation in which someone or something is liked by many people เป็นที่นิยม, เป็นที่ชื่นชอบ
permanent – happening or existing for a long time or for all time in the future ถาวร
target – a particular number or amount that you want to achieve เป้าหมาย
commuters – people who regularly travel between work and home คนเดินทางระหว่างบ้านและที่ทำงาน
attract – to cause someone to be interested in something ดึงดูดความสนใจ
investment – the act of investing money in something การลงทุน
dramatic – sudden, very great and often surprising; exciting and impressive น่าทึ่งใจ, ตื่นเต้นเร้าใจ
improvement – when something gets better or when you make it better การปรับปรุง, การทำให้ดีขึ้น
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