SRT's dining carriages back in service

Dining carriages on trains out of service since April 2020 due to the outbreak of Covid-19 will begin operating once again from Dec 6, according to the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) public relations office.

Ekarach Sri-arayanpong, the SRT's public relations director, said the dining cars will be operated by Advance Marketing Service Ltd, the winner of a bid for providing dining services on eight special express trains on four routes. They are:

• Special express trains Nos 9/10 (Bangkok-Chiang Mai-Bangkok)
• Special express trains Nos 31/32 (Bangkok-Hat Yai-Bangkok)
• Special express trains Nos 23/24 (Bangkok-Ubon Ratchathani-Bangkok)
• Special express trains Nos 25/26 (Bangkok-Nong Khai-Bangkok)

The company won a three-year contract to serve food and drinks on the eight trains from Dec 6, 2022 to Dec 5, 2025.

Apart from food and drinks of standard prices and quality, local products under the one-tambon-one-product (OTOP) project will also be available for sale on board.

In January, the SRT will invite interested private firms to bid for providing dining services on 10 more trains. They are:

• Special express trains Nos 13/14 (Bangkok-Chiang Mai-Bangkok)
• Express trains Nos 51/52 (Bangkok-Chiang Mai-Bangkok)
• Special express trains Nos 37/38 (Bangkok-Sungai Kolok-Bangkok)
• Express trains Nos 83/84 (Bangkok-Trang-Bangkok)
• Express trains Nos 85/86 (Bangkok-Nakhon Si Thammarat-Bangkok)

The bid winner is expected to be named in April, with dining services on these trains resuming shortly afterwards.