BANGKOK: -- Train officials kicked off their protest against a draft bill to privatise the State Railways of Thailand (SRT), on Wednesday by halting at least seven train route services in all regions.

The abrupt halting of the services; five in the north, two in the south and three in the northeastern regions, left hundreds of passengers stranded at the stations.

Sawit Kaewwan, vice president of the railway's labour union said that the protest will continue until Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont steps in to cancel the draft bill. "We don't know when we will stop the protest. We will adopt a strategy that all of our train officials take sick leave. We will also suspend more the train services in many parts," he said.

In northern province of Phichit, at least two northern trains stopped their service. In Nakhon Sawan, Chiang Mai train halted its service at 5 am and the Tapan Hin - Bangkok train would not leave its station as scheduled at 5.30am. Many passengers and students were left stranded at the Phichit station Wednesday morning.

Phichit station chief Wissanu Chankrachang later told the passengers to use other means of transportation as there would be no trains heading to Bangkok Wednesday. For southern train services, southern-bound services stopped at the provincial railway station in Nakhon Si Thammarat as SRT employees joined the protest.

The trains which have left Bangkok Tuesday evening for Malaysia, Sugnai Kolok, and Trang, stopped at the Nakhon Si Thammarat station. Passengers were transported on buses to their destinations from the station.

Nakhon Si Thammarat station chief Banchob Phetchuay said it was not clear whether two trains, which are scheduled to leave Nakhon Si Thammarat for Bangkok Wednesday, would be in service or not.

-- The Nation 2007-10-31

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