The Cabinet approved the SRT's reorganisation plan on June 3, allowing the agency to set up a new company to take charge of the Airport Rail Link between Suvarnabhumi Airport and inner Bangkok. The strike left more than 200,000 passengers stranded and caused 16 million baht in damage to the SRT. SRT union leaders and a team of government negotiators led by Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart yesterday met for an hour at the Transport Ministry.

An agreement was signed suspending the government's plan to split SRT into two subsidiaries pending discussions between rail workers and management on the role of union members in the new structure.

Maj Gen Sanan said the rail strike was not about the SRT union's opposition to the plan. The SRT management apparently failed to honour an agreement that it would consult the union before making any structural change to the agency, he said.

Transport Minister Sohpon Zarum said talks between the SRT union and the management should be concluded in no more than two weeks.
"If it is further delayed, it will cause damage and affect the planned operation of the Airport Rail Link scheme," he said.

Under the SRT rehabilitation plan approved by the Cabinet, two subsidiaries will be established to run the airport rail link project and to manage the SRT assets. The plan is designed to raise income of the SRT, which has suffered losses for decades.

Source: Bangkok Post

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