Train drivers have been a quiet pillar of Thailand’s transportation system for over a century, ferrying millions of passengers each year. Now, however, a catastrophic accident in the heart of the capital has put their profession under a bright national spotlight.
On May 16, a heavy cargo train ploughed into traffic at the busy Asok-Phetchaburi intersection, killing eight people and injuring more than 30 others.
The accident triggered public outrage, with many angrily questioning why the train driver had failed to apply the brakes in time to avoid the collision.
Public anger grew when investigators revealed that the 46-year-old train driver, Sayomporn Suankool, had tested positive for methamphetamine and cannabis. Authorities also discovered that he did not hold a train driver’s licence required under the new transport regulations.
The national focus has also quickly shifted to how the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) recruits, screens and monitors its transport staff.
Career path for train drivers
The first step to becoming a train driver is usually to enrol in the Mechanical Technician programme at the Railway Technical School. The specialised programme welcomed 85 new students this year. A school official confirmed that all graduates qualify to join Thailand’s railway service.
The highest-scoring graduates typically begin their careers as basic train technicians. After years of building skills and experience, they can take the highly competitive internal exams to become train drivers.
“It’s not easy to become a train driver,” said Sarawut Saranwong, chief of the State Railway Workers’ Union of Thailand.
“It takes at least seven years of stringent training and extensive on-the-ground experience to earn the post. You must progress from a technician to an assistant driver before you are even allowed to sit for the comprehensive exam required to rise to the rank of full locomotive driver.”
Train drivers are required to memorise every detail of the national network: not just the physical routes, but every level crossing, blind curve, ascent and descent, and other features of tracks across the country.
Drivers must navigate a high-risk environment featuring more than 4,000 railway crossings nationwide, where motorists and motorcyclists routinely ignore level-crossing barriers and pedestrians often dart across tracks.
The risks are highest in heavily congested urban centres, where road users frequently violate safety rules.
Train drivers must also contend with unpredictable weather conditions and an ageing fleet of locomotives.
Those speaking for the train driver have insisted that the deadly May 16 accident could have been avoided if the public bus had not halted on the tracks while trapped in traffic.
Standards for train drivers are set by the Thailand Professional Qualification Institute. Minimum requirements for candidates include a higher-education vocational certificate and four years of hands-on experience in train management.
Train drivers in Thailand
According to the SRT labour union, 951 train drivers are currently employed in Thailand. However, only 208 have obtained their official licence under the new law, with the rest still being processed.
In effect since March 27, the new Rail Transport Act carries a penalty of two years in prison and/or a maximum fine of 200,000 baht for operating a train without a valid licence – though the government has granted a grace period to prevent disruption of services.
Union chief Sarawut argues that the real blame for railway safety woes lies with severe understaffing. “The SRT workforce has been shrinking over the past 20 years. Hence, our staff have to work overtime and have little time to rest,” he said.
According to the union, the SRT requires at least 1,285 train drivers to safely manage the nearly 500 passenger and cargo trains that pull out of Thailand’s stations every single day.
‘We are the captains’
A former SRT train driver, Preecha Kaewpraphan, has said operating a train carries an immense responsibility, comparable to steering a commercial airliner or a ship.
In one of his blog posts, he noted that train drivers see themselves as captains, tasked with operating massive rolling stock to deliver thousands of passengers and tons of cargo safely to their destinations each day.
“We serve the people, rain or shine,” he declared.
