The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has converted third-class passenger carriages into dedicated prayer cars to serve Muslim passengers on southern routes, in a move aimed at facilitating religious observance of the Eid al-Adha festival. The service officially begins on Friday.
Anan Phonimdaeng, SRT deputy governor and acting governor, said on Friday that the modified carriages feature an open-plan design divided into four clearly partitioned rooms, with separate spaces for men and women. Ablution facilities have also been installed to ensure compliance with Islamic practices.
The prayer cars will be attached to Rapid Train No. 171/172 operating between Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal and Sungai Kolok, and Rapid Train No. 169/170 between Krung Thep Aphiwat and Yala.
The initiative is intended to accommodate Muslim passengers travelling during Eid al-Adha, allowing them to perform religious rituals conveniently and in accordance with Islamic principles while on board.
The move followed instructions from Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, who also serves as deputy prime minister. The service officially began on Friday, May 22.
A prayer room for women on a southern train. (Photo: State Railway of Thailand)
Mr Anan said the SRT had previously reserved seating areas for Buddhist monks in third-class train services, reflecting the organisation’s commitment to providing equal and appropriate services for passengers of all faiths.
Apart from facilitating religious activities, the SRT has also added extra carriages to Rapid Train No. 173/174 between Krung Thep Aphiwat and Nakhon Si Thammarat to ease congestion during the holiday period.
The additional service began on May 15 and has received positive feedback from passengers, said the acting SRT governor.
The transport minister has also instructed the SRT to tighten safety measures, requiring rigorous inspections of trains and equipment, enhanced monitoring through CCTV systems at stations and onboard trains nationwide and coordinated operations with railway police to ensure passenger confidence throughout their journeys, said Mr Anan.
The introduction of the prayer cars is seen as a gesture of public sector attentiveness to peoples’ needs. Passengers seeking further information can contact the SRT Customer Relations Centre at 1690, available around the clock, or visit the SRT PR Team Facebook page.
Real-time train schedules and tracking are available at ttsview.railway.co.th/v3/.
