Five years ago there was a report in the Bangkok Post with the authorities announcing a high-speed rail link from Bangkok to Pattaya would be running by 2018, with flashy trains whizzing along at 250kph. We were informed the train would whisk you to the beach resort in under one hour. Frankly, the thought of hurtling towards Pattaya at such great speed was a bit too scary for most people. Pattaya is the sort of place you need to ease into gently, preparing yourself for the mental challenge that awaits.
But there were three words in the report that offered a reality check. The project would go ahead "barring any problems". And there was the rub. Those three innocent words can mean so much in Thailand.
Fast forward to last week and the inaugural trip of a special weekend tourist train service from Bangkok to Pattaya. It's not quite the "bullet train" that the report envisaged five years ago, but the two-and-a half hour journey was acceptable considering the existing regular daily train often takes up to four hours and can give you a serious case of the "Numb Bum Syndrome".
