BANGKOK, 12 July 2014 – A large number of travelers were seen yesterday taking trains at Hua Lamphong Station to make their commutes for the long holiday this weekend, despite the murder of a teen on board a moving train early this week shaking public confidence in the safety of train passengers.
Passengers at Hua Lamphong Station in Bangkok said they chose the train service due to convenience and the economical price. However, they noted that the safety issue needed to be tackled, and called for more frequent patrols on board the trains.
At Khonkaen province’s main train station, officers from the Provincial Police and the Tourist Police were seen augmenting security on board the Nong Khai-Bangkok trains that run through Khonkaen, in an effort to prevent a repeat of this week’s tragic incident. Meanwhile, train passengers at the station told reporters they were not confident over their safety, and wanted to see better security measures.
The State Railway of Thailand has added another 50 cars to the trains that run daily, in order to accommodate the rise in passenger numbers during this long weekend. By doing so, the SRT can increase passenger carrying capacity by 5,000 passengers per day. Railway officials have also reported that seats have been fully booked for the Buddhist Lent holiday period.
