Government gives nod to rail
transit system development plan
Thailand’s Railway and Mass Transit System Development Committee has
approved a strategic plan to develop the national rail transit system with a
massive investment of over Bt360 billion.
Transport Minister Santi Prompat said the committee chaired by Prime
Minister Samak Sundaravej had given the green light to the 3-pronged
strategic plan for development of a 2,644-kilometre long rail transit system
that requires a total investment of 367.31 billion baht.
The plan is focused on developing Thailand’s transport system to attract
further investment and reduce transport costs as much as possible. The
Transport Ministry, the State Railway of Thailand and other agencies have
been assigned to prepare the plan in detail and private companies will be
invited to invest in the project.
Santi said the Industry Ministry would accelerate establishing industrial
estates alongside the railway lines in order to encourage investment in
provincial areas and also to reduce overall transport costs.
Initially, it is hoped that the proportion of goods transported by rail
would increase to 10 per cent from the current 2.84 per cent.
National Economic and Social Development Board Secretary-General Amphon
Kitti-amphon said the rail transit development plan includes improvement of
the existing 4,000-km rail transit system with a budget of Bt39 billion,
expansion of dual-track railways to link four routes extending 2,344 km to
the Mekong River Basin countries at Bt320 billion, and development of a
high-speed express railway traveling at 160 km/hour to tourist sites.
(TNA)
Thailand suffers Bt157 billion
deficit in first half of Fiscal 2008
The government suffered a deficit of Bt156.87 billion during
the first half of the 2008 fiscal year, which began on October 1, up about
Bt75.6 billion from the corresponding period of Fiscal 2007,a Finance Ministry
spokesman said recently.
Somchai Sajjapong, who advises the Ministry’s Fiscal Policy Office, said the
government in the first half of Fiscal 2008 suffered a deficit of Bt164.04
billion, while the government’s local administrative organisation enjoyed a
finance surplus of Bt7.17 billion.
Revenue earned by the government during the period totaled Bt657.21 billion, up
7.6 per cent from the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year. Its
expenses amounted Bt816.76 billion, an increase of 14.4 per cent from one year
ago, Somchai said.
Meanwhile payments overseas on project loans and structural adjustment loans
during the first half of Fiscal 2008 totaled Bt285 million, down sharply by 56.7
per cent, he said. (TNA)
Thailand records over 700
dead in work-related accidents
Over 700 workers died across Thailand in work-related
accidents last year, according to official statistics.
Nationwide 198,652 persons were injured or became seriously ill at work during
2007. Thailand’s work-related accidents last year included not only the 741
persons who died unnecessarily, but 16 became permanently handicapped, and 3,259
workers lost body parts, such as hands, arms or legs.
The official statistics show the highest number of accidents occurred at work
due to construction materials or other objects falling on workers: The eyes were
the most vulnerable and affected organs.
Most work-related accidents occurred in businesses involving steel construction
materials or mishandled equipment and the workers most frequently injured were
machine operators.
Nakhon Pathom in central Thailand last year earned the dubious distinction of
having the highest worker’s death rate and injury toll in the country.
Thailand’s Public Health Minister, Chaiya Sasomsab, said his department’s policy
was to support safety and healthcare measures in the workplace in order to
reduce economic and social losses and improve the quality of life for labourers.
The ministry, he said, will encourage workers to use protective equipment to
prevent potential accidents and there should also be a clampdown on workers who
drink alcohol or take drugs at work, he added. (TNA)
Commerce minister warns rice mills not to exploit farmers
Commerce and Deputy Prime Minister Mingkwan Saengsuwan has
warned the country’s rice millers not to exploit farmers for personal gain,
saying the ministry might opt to purchase rice directly from farmers if the
exploitation persists.
To mark the Royal Ploughing Day last Friday, Mingkwan said he wanted all parties
concerned to supervise the rice trade system to ensure prevailing justice.
Rice prices have continued to increase on the back of global demand for
Thailand’s harvest.
Fragrant jasmine rice (Khao Hom Mali) rice is now priced at 19,000-20,000
baht/tonne by the rice mills, paddy rice (unmilled) at 12,000-14,000 baht a
tonne, and sticky rice at 8,200-8,500 baht a tonne if the humidity is less than
15 per cent. Should the humidity be higher than that, the purchase price offered
by rice mills might be somewhat lower.
Mingkwan said should farmers be pressed by rice mills to sell rice at unfair
prices, they could file complaints with the ministry.
He insisted the government was ready to take legal measures and set aside a
budget to purchase paddy rice directly from farmers if the exploitation
persisted.
He added the jasmine rice price quoted on a Freight-on-Board (FOB) basis for
export averages 39,700 baht a tonne and ordinary white rice price averages
29,000-32,000 bt/tonne. (TNA)
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