Bangkok's electric trains operate as usual despite flooding

BANGKOK, November 9 (TNA) - Bangkok's electric trains, both the skytrains and the underground trains, have offered their normal services to passengers despite flooding. Bangkok Mass Transit System Public Company Limited (BTS) said on Wednesday that inundations below its Mor-chit Station on the Paholyothin Road, the first-end terminal of the capital's skytrains, have not affected its normal services, as the floodwater at some 50 centimetres high has remained considerably lower than the 1.65-metre benchmark set for evacuations of passengers due to critical flooding. BTS Board Advisor Anat Arpapirom acknowledged that the BTS control facility was designed to stand at 2.15 metres above the mean sea level. Dr. Anat admitted, however, that the ongoing flooding in Bangkok has cut down the number of BTS passengers by some 100,000 a day, from some 500,000 normally, attributing the falling numbers to, particularly, impacts from inundations at the Mor-chit Station and the exodus of Bangkokians to provincial areas to avoid flooding. Ronachit Yaemsaad, Acting Governor of the state-run Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), the operator of Bangkok's subways or underground trains, also came out, meanwhile, to confirm that the city's subway services in all 18 stations have remained intact, with around 160,000 passengers daily, as floodwater in areas where four stations are located and are under a close monitoring, namely Jatuchak, Paholyothin, Lat Phrao and Ratchadaphisek, has increased by only 2-3 centimetres. (TNA)