The Airport Rail Link that connects Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Thailand’s main airport, and inner Bangkok is operating only one train as its railway turntable broke down on Wednesday. The train is operating at one-hour intervals.
The operator, SRT Electrified Train Co (SRTET), announced on Wednesday morning that a technical issue with the railway turntable at its depot in Khlong Tan blocked the deployment of Airport Rail Link trains.
State Railway of Thailand (SRT) governor Anant Phonimdaeng told Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat at the depot that the third carriage of a four‑car Airport Rail Link train derailed while returning after service late Tuesday night, with the incident occurring at 12.47am Wednesday and blocking the depot’s exit to the mainline.
Officials were investigating the cause and the extent of any damage, Mr Anant said.
Only one train remained operational on the 28-kilometre-long route and the frequency is one train per hour. The service normally operates at 10 to 15 minutes between trains.
The company, which is under the SRT's supervision, apologised for the problem. It recommended travellers use SRT trains or Bangkok Mass Transit Authority public buses, plying between Makkasan Railway Station and Suvarnabhumi airport in Samut Prakan province.
SRTET said that crowds of passengers accumulated at Phaya Thai, Makkasan, Hua Mak and Lat Krabang stations, and passengers could ask for a fine waiver if their journey exceeded 90 minutes in the railway system.
The company has also requested that passengers buy tokens at stations because the EMV payment system, that accepts payment with credit and debit cards, is also non-operational.
Pichet Kunadhamraks, director-general of the Department of Rail Transport, said the problem began at 2.30am on Wednesday and he has requested that the problem be fixed quickly.
