On January 31, 2019, Mr. Sarawut Songsiwilai, Director of the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP), revealed that progress on the establishment of the Railway Department is underway. The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) approved the draft bill for the establishment of the Railway Department on January 17, and it is currently in the process of reviewing legal texts, such as the Railway Transport Act and the issuance of ministerial regulations, pending approval from the Cabinet.

The scope of authority for the Railway Department will be similar to that of the Department of Land Transport, acting as a regulatory body. This means that the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), along with private companies, will only serve as operators under government oversight and applicable laws. Therefore, the department will have the power to regulate conventional railways, electric trains, and high-speed trains, including planning for railway system development, controlling operational standards, land development along routes, penalizing service providers, and setting fare prices.

Once all procedures are completed, the proposal will be submitted to the Cabinet for approval. It is expected that the department can be established by April, aiming to recruit approximately 203 personnel, including 176 civil servants and 27 government employees, alongside the drafting of subsidiary legislation under the Railway Transport Act. Full operational control is anticipated by September.

Mr. Sarawut further stated that in the future, the Railway Department will oversee electric train fare regulation, focusing on the integration of electric train systems and establishing consistent fare standards across different lines. However, it will not have the authority to regulate or amend existing electric train contracts that have already been signed, such as those for the Pink Line, Yellow Line, Light Green and Dark Green Lines, and the Blue Line. Therefore, its regulatory impact will only apply to new electric train lines and existing lines nearing the end of their concession periods, such as the Green Line.

Initially, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will be signed while awaiting the enactment of subsidiary legislation for enforcement. The recruitment process for eight executive positions will include one Director-General, one Deputy Director-General, one Chief Engineer, and five departmental directors.

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