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BANGKOK: Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit has hailed major progress in a collaboration with Italy to upgrade Thailand’s rail network.
Suriya, who also serves as deputy prime minister, met with Italy’s ambassador to Thailand, Paolo Dionisi, for discussions on the rail collaboration in Bangkok on Wednesday (Jan 15).
The meeting followed up on groundbreaking agreements signed between the two countries at the Thai-Italian Business Forum held in Rome in May last year.
Three key Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed between Thailand's Rail Technology Research and Development Agency and prominent Italian companies.
Suriya said the MoU signed with Italy’s Blue Engineering S.r.l for knowledge exchange would boost Thailand’s capability to design and manufacture trains domestically, reducing production and maintenance costs compared to imports.
A second agreement with Mermec Group will promote rail development through technical knowledge exchange and joint research initiatives.
The third MoU, signed with Nplus S.r.l, focuses on Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) technology. This partnership will leverage advanced technology for inspection, analysis, and maintenance of rail infrastructure, improving efficiency and safety while reducing accident risks.
Meanwhile, Italian luxury brand Arsenale has proposed a partnership with the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) to upgrade Thai train services to luxury standards.
The Transport Ministry said the partnership aligns with the government's tourism policy and moves to diversify SRT's services to generate long-term revenue.
Suriya said the implementation of the Rail Transport Act this year would open Thailand’s railway to investment from the private sector, particularly in developing luxury train services.
"The Ministry of Transport looks forward to further cooperation with Italy on additional transportation development projects that will benefit both countries in the near future," he said. - The Nation/ANN
