While climate change brings environmental instabilities to Thailand’s ecosystem, resulting in recent famines and floods, the country’s State Railway saw an opportunity that can lift the Thai economy, the floating train.
By selling tickets for seeing the sights via the train while flaunting the high-water levels as a selling point, the railway is directly making the most of a situation that has brought indescribable damage to Thai citizens.
Tickets have been selling out fast for rides on the floating train that runs from Bangkok to Pa Sak Jolasid Dam in less than five hours. It stops for about 20 minutes in the middle of the dam so that travelers can take photos of the train, the view, and of themselves. Then the train stops at the dam station for a few hours, allowing travelers to walk around the dam and gardens, before starting the journey back.
The train operation is projected to give a boost to domestic tourism, which has been hit by COVID-19.
The train will run only during weekends between November and February but tickets have been sold out till New Year. “I’ve never seen anything like this before,” said Bunyanuch Pahuyut, who was among the over 500 passengers who toured the route.
Floating train
While the success of tourism operations in Thailand will largely depend on the future of China’s “zero-COVID” policy, the country is targeting to draw over 30 million tourists in 2023.
According to a World Bank press release, Thailand’s economy was anticipated to inflate by 2.9% this year in 2022, backed up by private consumption and tourism recovery.
Although damaging impacts from the Ukraine conflict and Chinese lockdowns emphasized Thailand’s oil dependency and vulnerability to global supply chain disturbances, implementing a holistic and unorthodox approach to the economy can aid in promoting growth that is more sustainable and stronger enough to face external shockwaves.
The floating train might just do the trick.
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