SRT board approves 2,850 new posts to address severe staff shortage

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) board has approved a major recruitment drive to fill 2,850 new positions and address a chronic staff shortage.

The influx of new employees is intended to support the rapid expansion of the country's rail network, including upcoming dual-track routes and newly opened lines.

To proceed, the national rail operator will ask the government to review a strict Cabinet resolution that has capped its recruitment for nearly three decades.

Anan Phonimdang, the acting SRT governor, announced yesterday that the board approved the staff increase to boost operational efficiency and slash soaring overtime costs.

The SRT plans to submit the proposal through the Ministry of Transport to the State Enterprise Policy Office and the Cabinet. The goal is to overturn a 1998 Cabinet resolution that restricts the hiring of new employees to no more than 5% of the number of staff retiring, which is typically around 300.

As a result of this long-standing policy, the SRT's workforce has plummeted from over 18,000 employees at its peak to just 8,215 personnel today.

The recruitment drive is deemed critical to supporting operations until 2029, a period during which the SRT is set to launch several new dual-track lines, open new rail routes and take delivery of new diesel multiple units (DMUs) and well cars (for containers).

Anan emphasised that safety and train operations require highly specialised skills, noting that these vital roles cannot be easily replaced by automated technology or outsourced to external contractors.

The positions that urgently need filling include locomotive drivers, mechanics, track maintenance crews, safety personnel and traffic controllers to manage nationwide train dispatching.

Beyond operational capacity, the SRT expects the lifting of the hiring restriction to improve workplace safety and the agency's fiscal health significantly.

Currently, severe understaffing forces employees to work excessive hours, driving overtime costs up to 30% to 40% of the agency's total payroll.

The SRT aims to bring overtime costs down to a standard 10%, redirecting the saved money to fund the salaries of the 2,850 new recruits.

Furthermore, adequate staffing will ensure employees receive proper rest days, reducing work fatigue and lowering the risk of rail accidents.