As dams fill up, Thailand’s “floating train” popularity rises

A post-monsoon spike in water levels has attracted a big number of tourists to Thailand’s “Floating Train” this year, which offers passengers breathtaking vistas of the lake. According to the news agency Reuters, the ride’s tickets have been selling out rapidly. The train departs from Bangkok and transports passengers to a bridge across the Pasak Jolasid Dam in Lopburi province, which is Thailand’s largest earth-filled dam. According to Reuters, the train operates only on weekends between November and February, and tickets are sold out until the New Year.

Six hours after leaving Bangkok, the train traverses the Pasak Jolasid dam on an elevated track barely above the water level, which according to officials has been unusually high this year.

It pauses for 20 minutes at the dam station’s viewpoint, allowing passengers to admire the vista and take photographs, before proceeding to the next stop.

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Bunyanuch Pahuyut, one of 600 passengers on the journey on Sunday, told Reuters, “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

The weekend train operating is anticipated to enhance domestic tourism, which has been negatively impacted by COVID-19. According to The Nation Thailand, the train will operate every weekend besides December 31 and January 1.

Non-air-conditioned transport from Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong station to the Pa Sak Jolasid Dam costs THB330 (Rs 725), while air-conditioned travel costs THB560 (Rs 1,250). This year, the sale of tickets began on November 1.

Tickets can be purchased at railway stations as well as via State Railway Thailand’s website and mobile application.