Thaksin Express

The Thaksin Express (Thai: รถด่วนพิเศษทักษิณ) is an express train run by the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) between Bangkok and Su-ngai Kolok, a border town in Narathiwat Province and the end of the southern rail line. Thaksin is a Thai word for south (from the Sanskrit word dakshin), thus this train is referred to as "the Southern Express." This train's passenger cars include 1st- and 2nd-class air conditioned sleepers, 2nd-class fan sleepers, 2nd-class fan seating coaches, 3rd class air conditioned and fan seating coaches, and a dining car.

Overview

The train passes through cities and towns along the east coast of southern Thailand on the upper Malay peninsula. These include the old Buddhist city of Nakhon Pathom, the seaside resort town of Hua Hin, the port city of Surat Thani, the commercial city of Hat Yai (or Haadyai), the Islamic city of Yala, and the commercial border town of Su-ngai Kolok. Although the rail line is connected to the Malaysian rail system, there is no cross-border service on this route.

Timetable

Train Number 37 Bangkok - Su-ngai Kolok (departure times)

• Bangkok (กรุงเทพ) - 15:10
• Sam Sen (สามเสน) - 15:28
• Bang Sue (บางซื่อ) - 15:39
• Bang Bumru (บางบำหรุ) - 15:57
• Salaya (ศาลายา) - 16:14
• Nakhon Pathom (นครปฐม) - 16:42
• Ban Pong (บ้านโป่ง) - 17:00
• Ratchaburi (ราชบุรี) - 17:29
• Phetburi (เพชรบุรี) - 18:15
• Hua Hin (หัวหิน) - 19:11 - three minute stop to change crews
• Wang Phong (วังก์พง) - 19:31
• Prachuap Khiri Khan (ประจวบคีรีขันธ์) - 20:28
• Bang Saphan Yai (บางสะพานใหญ่)- 21:38
• Chumphon (ชุมพร) - 23:32 - ten minute stop for refuelling and changing crews
• Surat Thani (สุราษฎร์ธานี) - 01:56 next day - three minute stop to change crews
• Thung Song (ทุ่งสง) - 03:54 - 10 minute stop for refuelling
• Phatthalung (พัทลุง) - 05:37 - three minute stop to change crews
• Bang Kaeo (บางแก้ว) - 06:07
• Hat Yai (หาดใหญ่) - 07:31 - 15 minute stop for uncoupling Hat Yai coaches, and refuelling
• Chana (จะนะ) - 08:07
• Pattani (ปัตตานี) - 08:51
• Yala (ยะลา) - 09:28 - three minute stop to change crews
• Rue Sau (รือเสาะ) - 10:03
• Tanyong Mas (ตันหยงมัส) - 10:35
• Sugei Padi (สุไหงปาดี) - 11:02
• Su-ngai Kolok (สุไหงโกลก) - 11:25 arrival

Train Number 38 Su-ngai Kolok - Bangkok (departure times)

• Su-ngai Kolok (สุไหงโกลก) - 14:20
• Sugei Padi (สุไหงปาดี) - 14:36
• Tanyong Mas (ตันหยงมัส) - 15:03
• Rue Sau (รือเสาะ) - 15:34
• Yala (ยะลา) - 16:06 - three minute stop to change crews
• Pattani (ปัตตานี) - 16:37
• Hat Yai (หาดใหญ่) - 18:05 - 20 minute stop for attaching carriages from Hat Yai and refuelling
• Bang Kaeo (บางแก้ว) - 19:06
• Phatthalung (พัทลุง) - 19:34 - three minute stop to change crews
• Thung Song (ทุ่งสง) - 21:19 - 15 minute stop for refuelling and changing crews
• Surat Thani (สุราษฎร์ธานี) - 23:00 - three minute stop for changing crews
• Chumphon (ชุมพร) - 01:36 next day) - 10 minute stop for refuelling and changing crews
• Bang Saphan Yai (บางสะพานใหญ่)- 03:08
• Prachuap Khiri Khan (ประจวบคีรีขันธ์) - 04:17
• Hua Hin (หัวหิน) - 05:34 - three minute stop to change crews
• Ratchaburi (ราชบุรี) - 07:26
• Ban Pong (บ้านโป่ง) - 07:58
• Nakhon Pathom (นครปฐม) - 08:21
• Salaya (ศาลายา) - 09:05
• Bang Bumru (บางบำหรุ) - 09:32
• Bang Sue (บางซื่อ) - 09:54
• Sam Sen (สามเสน) - 10:05
• Bangkok (กรุงเทพ) - 10:30 arrival

Current status

There are about 3-4 second class rakes (a set of coupled rail cars, normally coaches or wagons) plus one first class rake for the train between Hat Yai-Su-ngai Kolok. The Southern Special Express 37/38 has to be kept running as a means of reassuring residents that the central government will not abandon the local people of the three southern provinces despite the ongoing insurgencies there.

References

• Schedule for Thaksin Special Express 37
• Schedule for Thaksin Special Express 38

External links

• SRT southern route timetable