Pha Sadet tunnel in Saraburi province (photo: State Railway of Thailand)
Just when it seemed like a historic moment for Thailand’s railways, things went off track! The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) had to temporarily close the nation’s longest train tunnel mere hours after its grand opening on Sunday. The reason? Unhappy passengers were engulfed in clouds of thick dust inside the tunnel. Talk about a bumpy ride!
Ekarat Sri-arayanpong, who heads the SRT governor’s office, shared that northeast-bound travelers were left coughing and complaining due to the overwhelming dust when their trains traversed the Pha Sadet tunnel located in Saraburi province. As a result, the SRT quickly swung into action, instructing the contractor to give the tunnel a thorough clean-up within 14 days.
This new 5.4-kilometer masterpiece is not just another tunnel; it is part of the SRT’s shiny new double-track railway heading to the Northeast. To put it in perspective, what was supposed to be a smooth ride turned into an unexpected detour. The SRT aims to reintroduce this engineering marvel to commuters by August 12, fingers crossed with far less inhalable drama.
Mr. Ekarat explained that prior to the tunnel’s inauguration, the contractor did attempt to clear out the dust by blowing it out. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans, sweeping the dust right back into its long, dark corridors. A classic case of ‘you dust, you lose!’
For the duration of this clean-up operation, northeastern trains will be taking a nostalgic detour via the old, trusty route. Starting from Map Krabao station, the trains will journey through Pha Sadet and Hin Lap stations before arriving at Muak Lek station. This trip covers a distance of 18 kilometers, needing about 32 minutes to complete. It’s a bit of a throwback but hey, it’s still a ride!
Contrast this with the new tunnel route, where the journey from Map Krabao to Muak Lek is just 14 kilometers, slashing travel time to a mere 15 minutes. It’s like the express lane on your daily commute—designed to be quicker and smoother, minus the swirling dust clouds of course.
This unexpected dust-up might have put a little smudge on the SRT’s grand plans, but it’s all set to be a temporary hiccup. Passengers and railway enthusiasts are eagerly waiting to once again traverse this impressive tunnel, hoping next time their trip will be a lot clearer—literally.
So make sure to mark August 12 on your calendar. With any luck, this second launch will make headlines for all the right reasons, leaving only excitement and zero specks of dust in the air!
Seriously, how could they screw up the grand opening this badly? Dust clouds in a new tunnel? Come on, Thailand!
Cut them some slack. Stuff happens, and it’s not like it’s a permanent issue.
True, but it’s still embarrassing for a huge project like this to have such a big hiccup right at the start.
Actually, tunnel ventilation systems can be really tricky. It’s not uncommon for issues to arise initially.
As someone who was on that train, I can confirm the dust was awful. My throat still hurts.
Yikes! Did you see if others were seriously affected?
There were a lot of people coughing. A few looked really miserable, but I didn’t see anyone needing medical attention.
That sounds like a health hazard. The SRT should have been more prepared!
I understand cleaning up the dust, but why not invest in better ventilation systems to prevent it from happening again?
It probably comes down to budget constraints. Advanced systems are expensive!
Then they should have accounted for it in the project budget. No point building a shiny tunnel if you can’t keep it clean.
Proper ventilation is critical, especially in long tunnels. They might end up retrofitting the system after this incident.
Honestly, I think the old route is way more scenic. The new tunnel might be faster, but where’s the fun in that?
I totally agree! Part of train travel is enjoying the landscape. The old route has more charm.
Well, some of us actually prefer getting to our destination quicker. Scenery be damned!
The SRT should offer compensation to those affected. Free tickets or something as an apology.
I think they will. This is pretty bad PR for them.
This event reminds me of the early days of railroad construction. Problems like these were common!
I’m traveling next month. Hoping they sort out these issues soon!
I’m sure they will. It’s a matter of national pride to get this right.
Is it just me or does this feel like something out of a comedy movie? Blowing out the dust only for it to come right back.
Haha, I know right? It’s like they were living in a ‘Looney Tunes’ episode or something.
You guys laugh, but these are real people’s lives and health at risk here.
With advancements in transportation, it’s surprising we still face such basic issues. Innovation needs to match ambition.
This stuff takes time. Give it a few more decades and we’ll be flying on railways!
They should test new systems more rigorously before grand openings to avoid such fiascos.
I hope they take lessons from this and implement stricter quality controls in future projects.