Engineers at King Mongkut Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL) are working on a prototype of a luxury 25-seater rail carriage, which will be thoroughly track-tested before entering service with the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) late next year.
The State Railway of Thailand shows a locally made prototype of a luxury carriage to be used next year. (Photo: State Railway of Thailand)
The project is part of the Transport Ministry's Thai First Policy, which seeks to incorporate more homegrown hardware into Thailand's mass-transit network, said deputy SRT governor, Siripong Preutthipan.
The project received 32 million baht in funding, 25 million baht of which came from the Programme Management Unit for Competitiveness, while the rest came from Sinogen-Pin Petch Joint Venture Co, he said.
The carriage will have eight "super luxury" seats, which are equivalent to first-class seats on aircraft, and 17 "luxury" seats, which resemble business class, he said.
It will also be equipped with a 5G-based smart infotainment system and a UV-C air purifying system, he said.
About 40% of materials used in building this prototype were locally sourced, which makes this carriage 30% cheaper than an imported one, he said.
After the carriage passes testing to ensure it meets international safety and production standards, it will be then incorporated into the SRT's regular services, he said.