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82-83% of Thai transport still by roads. Shift to more efficient railway transportation for goods & passengers focus of study.

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Economics

ADB lends an academic hand to railway logistics study

New services would return trust in SRT
28/06/2012
Chatrudee Theparat

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is offering academic assistance for a study of Thai logistics.

The study, to be completed in the next 6-8 months, will cover ways to increase the use of rail transport to improve the country's competitiveness, as 82-83% of Thai transport is still via roads.

However, as the rail system in Thailand is inefficient, the Thai private sector is reluctant to use it.

A report by the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) showed 82.6% of goods in the country are transported by road, followed by water (9.48%), coastal marine (5.7%), rail (2.2%) and air (0.02).

The Strategic Committee for Reconstruction and Future Development, chaired by Virabongsa Ramangkura, said the ADB study will help Thai logistics in terms of both passenger and goods transport.

Previously, the Thai government approved a 170-billion-baht budget for the improvement of the nation's rail network and installation of safety equipment.

The government plans to build a nationwide high-speed rail network, with trains capable of travelling at speeds of 250 kilometres per hour.

The first phase will involve lines extending 200-250 km from Bangkok.

They are Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima on the Nong Khai line; to Hua Hin on the Padang Besar line; to Phitsanulok on the Chiang Mai line; and to Rayong.

Total investment in the first phase is estimated at 300 billion baht.

Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, the NESDB's secretary-general, said the committee suggested the study also cover new businesses for the State Railway of Thailand.

These would include a parcel post service.

Mr Virabongsa is also worried about water shortages.

He suggested the government prepare better management in the eastern river plain covering nine provinces.

More factories are being established in the inner areas of Chachoengsao, Prachin Buri, Nakhon Nayok and Sa Kaeo provinces due to a lack of locations in Rayong's Map Ta Phut area.

An ad-hoc committee has been appointed to study the development.

The management of the eastern river plain is part of a 40-billion-baht investment plan for 17 river plain areas nationwide.

Mr Arkhom said the committee also approved a 300-million-baht budget to establish a database of Thai biology.

"Biotechnology is one industry that can help to upgrade Thai industry. However, many biological technologies should be registered as patents," he said

(Source: Bangkok Post, Economics, ADB lends an academic hand to railway logistics study, New services would return trust in SRT, 28/06/2012, Chatrudee Theparat, link) 

Transportation Sector Vocabulary
 
Asian Development Bank (ADB) -  a regional development bank established in 1966 to help in the economic development of countries in Asia (See Wikipedia)

railway - railroad; the transport of passengers and goods by trains on rail tracks (instead of more expensive trucks on the road); the systems of metal tracks that trains travel on รางรถไฟ, ระบบทางรถไฟ (See Wikipedia)

State Railway of Thailand (SRT) - the state-owned rail operator of Thailand's railway, การรถไฟแห่งประเทศไทย (See Wikipedia)

transport - to move people or things from one place to another ขนส่ง
rail transport - Same as "railway"; using a railway to move passengers and goods around the country

high-speed rail network - a type of railway that goes very fast: "the maximum commercial speed was about 300 km/h ... for the majority of installed systems (Japan, China, Taiwan, Germany, Italy, UK), 310 km/h ... in Spain and 320 km/h (199 mph) in France. The Shanghai Maglev Train reaches 431 km/h... " (See Wikipedia and list by country)

logistics - the activity of transporting, storing, and tracking goods (being sent from one place to another) (See Wikipedia) การขนส่งสินค้า การขนส่งและจัดจำหน่ายสินค้า
railway logistics - moving goods by railway

network - a large system of connected parts, organisations, people, etc. เครือข่าย
the nation's rail network

nationwide - throughout a whole country ทั่วทั้งประเทศ
a nationwide high-speed rail network

academic - someone who teaches at a college and does research in some special area of knowledge or who studies as part of their job นักวิชาการ
lend a hand - help

ADB lends an academic hand to railway logistics study

trust - believing in someone (believing that they will do as promised); when people have confidence in each other (so they can work together effectively) ความเชื่อมั่น
return trust in SRT

new services would return trust in SRT

assistance - help (given to someone)

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is offering academic assistance for a study of Thai logistics.

competitiveness - how well a business can do compared to other firms; how well a company is able to maintain or gain customers in a market (does it have lower price or higher quality?) การแข่งขัน

improve - to make better ทำให้ดีขึ้น
improve the country's competitiveness

The study, to be completed in the next 6-8 months, will cover ways to increase the use of rail transport to improve the country's competitiveness, as 82-83% of Thai transport is still via roads.

inefficient - not efficient (could produce more from the resources it has)
the rail system in Thailand is inefficient

sector - a part of the economy (public sector = government, private sector = all businesses, household sector = families and consumers, banking sector,...) (See Wikipedia) ภาคเศรษฐกิจของประเทศ
private sector - all the businesses in a country (owned by people not the government)

reluctant - do not want to do something (so are slow, hesitate, or do without enthusiasm) ไม่เต็มใจ ลังเลใจ
reluctant to use the rail system

However, as the rail system in Thailand is inefficient, the Thai private sector is reluctant to use it.

marine - things related to the sea, ocean, and boats เกี่ยวกับทะเล
coastal marine - using the water near the coast for transportation by boat

A report by the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) showed 82.6% of goods in the country are transported by road, followed by water (9.48%), coastal marine (5.7%), rail (2.2%) and air (0.02).

The Strategic Committee for Reconstruction and Future Development, chaired by Virabongsa Ramangkura, said the ADB study will help Thai logistics in terms of both passenger and goods transport.

budget - the amounts of money that an organisation has available to spend on different things during a period งบประมาณ (See Wikipedia)

a 170-billion-baht budget for the improvement of the nation's rail network

improvement - when something gets better or when you make it better การปรับปรุง, การทำให้ดีขึ้น
improvement of the nation's rail network

installation - the process of putting a new piece of equipment or system in a place and making it ready to be used  การติดตั้ง
installation of safety equipment

Previously, the Thai government approved a 170-billion-baht budget for the improvement of the nation's rail network and installation of safety equipment.

capable - able to do something; very good at a job มีความสามารถ
trains capable of travelling at speeds of 250 kilometres per hour

The government plans to build a nationwide high-speed rail network, with trains capable of travelling at speeds of 250 kilometres per hour.

rail lines - 1. the metal tracks that trains travel on in a railway; 2. the rail services offered between different places 
lines extending 200-250 km from Bangkok.
the Nong Khai line

The first phase will involve lines extending 200-250 km from Bangkok

investment - taking your money and putting it into projects to make a profit or earn interest (buying stock shares, bonds, real estate)
total investment in the first phase

parcel - package; something wrapped in paper or put in a box sent to another person through the mail
post a parcel - send a parcel
parcel post service

They are Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima on the Nong Khai line; to Hua Hin on the Padang Besar line; to Phitsanulok on the Chiang Mai line; and to Rayong. Total investment in the first phase is estimated at 300 billion baht. Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, the NESDB's secretary-general, said the committee suggested the study also cover new businesses for the State Railway of Thailand. These would include a parcel post service.

shortages - when there are not enough goods for people to buy การขาดแคลน
water shortages

plain - a large flat area of land
eastern river plain

established - create
establish a factory

lack - does not have ขาดแคลน
lack of locations

ad-hoc - done without much planning or preparation; for a specific purpose o special problem
ad-hoc committee - a group of people assembled to deal with some problem  that arose

appointed -  given some position in an organization
development - the gradual growth and formation of something

ad-hoc committee has been appointed to study the development

committee to study the development

Mr Virabongsa is also worried about water shortages. He suggested the government prepare better management in the eastern river plain covering nine provinces.  More factories are being established in the inner areas of Chachoengsao, Prachin Buri, Nakhon Nayok and Sa Kaeo provinces due to a lack of locations in Rayong's Map Ta Phut area. An ad-hoc committee has been appointed to study the development.  The management of the eastern river plain is part of a 40-billion-baht investment plan for 17 river plain areas nationwide.

establish - to start a company, organization or system that will likely continue for a long time สถาปนา, ก่อตั้ง, จัดตั้ง
database - a large amount of information stored in a computer in an organised way ฐานข้อมูล
establish a database of Thai biology

biotechnology - using biology in engineering and medicine, using bacteria, genes, animal and plant products (See Wikipedia)

upgrade - improve a system; make new, modern, and up-to-date
upgrade Thai industry - improve Thai industry

patent - protection for inventors and their new ideas; gives people who create inventions the right to make or sell their invention for a period of time and prevents other people from using this idea without their permission (See Wikipedia)

invention - an idea for a new machine, tool or system that someone comes up with or creates for the first time (See Wikipedia)
inventor - a person who creates a new invention

register - officially recorded with the government (and given permission to do something)
registered as patents

Mr Arkhom said the committee also approved a 300-million-baht budget to establish a database of Thai biology. "Biotechnology is one industry that can help to upgrade Thai industry. However, many biological technologies should be registered as patents," he said

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