View source for Thaksin Express

{{no footnotes|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox rail service
| box_width       = 300px
| name            = ''Thaksin Express''
| color           = {{rcr|SRT|Southern}}
| logo            = 
| logo_width      = 
| image           = Bangkok_Railway_Station_IMG_7345.jpg
| image_width     = 300px
| alt             =
| caption         = 
| type            = [[Inter-city rail]]
| status          = Operational
| locale          = [[Thailand]]
| predecessor     = 
| first           = {{Start date and age|1922|1|2|df=y}} (as Southern Express)
| last            = <!--{{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD|df=y}}-->
| successor       = 
| operator        = [[State Railway of Thailand]]
| formeroperator  = 
| ridership       = 
| ridership2      = 
| website         = 
| start           = [[Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal|Krung Thep Aphiwat]]
| stops           = 26
| end             = [[Su-ngai Kolok railway station|Su-ngai Kolok]]
| distance        = 1,140
| journeytime     = 
| frequency       = 
| trainnumber     = 
| line_used       = Su-ngai Kolok Main Line
| class           = First class<br/>Second class<br/>Third class
| access          = 
| seating         = 
| sleeping        = 
| autorack        = 
| catering        = 
| observation     = 
| entertainment   = 
| baggage         = 
| otherfacilities = 
| stock           = 
| gauge           = {{Track gauge|1000mm|allk=on|engvar=en-US}}
| el              = 
| speed           = {{cvt|100|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}
| trainlength     = 
| owners          = 
| routenumber     = 
| maintenance     =
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| map             = 
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}}

The '''Thaksin Express''' ({{langx|th|รถด่วนพิเศษทักษิณ}}) is an [[express train]] run by the [[State Railway of Thailand]] (SRT) between [[Bangkok]] and [[Su-ngai Kolok]], a border town in [[Narathiwat Province]] and the end of the southern rail line. ''Thaksin'' is a Thai word for 'south' (from the [[Sanskrit]] word ''dakshin''), thus this train is referred to as the "Southern Express". The train's [[Passenger car (rail)|passenger car]]s include 1st- and 2nd-class air conditioned [[Sleeping car|sleepers]], 2nd-class fan sleepers, 2nd-class fan seating [[coach (rail)|coaches]], 3rd class air conditioned and fan seating coaches, and a [[dining car]].

==Overview==
The train passes through cities and towns along the western edge of the gulf coast of [[southern Thailand]] on the upper [[Malay Peninsula]]. These include [[Nakhon Pathom]], [[Hua Hin]], [[Surat Thani]], [[Hat Yai]], [[Yala, Thailand|Yala]], and [[Su-ngai Kolok]]. Although the rail line is connected to the [[Keretapi Tanah Melayu|Malaysian rail system]] towards [[Rantau Panjang railway station|Rantau Panjang Station]], there is no cross-border service on this route.

== Timetable ==
'''Train Number 37 Bangkok - Su-ngai Kolok''' (departure times)
* [[Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal|Bangkok]] (กรุงเทพ) - 15:10
* Sam Sen (สามเสน) - 15:28 
* Bang Sue (บางซื่อ) - 15:39
* Bang Bumru (บางบำหรุ) - 15:57 
* Salaya (ศาลายา) - 16:14
* Nakhon Pathom (นครปฐม) - 16:42
* Ban Pong (บ้านโป่ง) - 17:00
* [[Ratchaburi]] (ราชบุรี) - 17:29 
* [[Phetburi]] (เพชรบุรี) - 18:15
* [[Hua Hin Railway Station|Hua Hin]] (หัวหิน) - 19:11  - three minute stop to change crews
* Wang Phong (วังก์พง) - 19:31
* [[Prachuap Khiri Khan]] (ประจวบคีรีขันธ์) - 20:28
* Bang Saphan Yai (บางสะพานใหญ่)- 21:38 
* [[Chumphon]] (ชุมพร) - 23:32 - ten minute stop for refuelling and changing crews 
* Surat Thani (สุราษฎร์ธานี) - 01:56 next day - three minute stop to change crews  
* Thung Song (ทุ่งสง) - 03:54 - 10 minute stop for refuelling 
* [[Phatthalung]] (พัทลุง) - 05:37 - three minute stop to change crews
* Bang Kaeo (บางแก้ว) - 06:07 
* Hat Yai (หาดใหญ่) - 07:31 - 15 minute stop for uncoupling from No. 45 (to Padang Besar), and refuelling 
* Chana (จะนะ) - 08:07
* [[Pattani, Thailand|Pattani]] (ปัตตานี) - 08:51
* Yala (ยะลา) - 09:28 - three minute stop to change crews
* Rue Sau (รือเสาะ) - 10:03
* Tanyong Mas (ตันหยงมัส) - 10:35
* Sugei Padi (สุไหงปาดี) - 11:02  
* Su-ngai Kolok (สุไหงโกลก) - 11:25 arrival

'''Train Number 38 Su-ngai Kolok - Bangkok''' (departure times) 
* Su-ngai Kolok (สุไหงโกลก) - 14:20  
* Sugei Padi (สุไหงปาดี) - 14:36  
* Tanyong Mas (ตันหยงมัส) - 15:03
* Rue Sau (รือเสาะ) - 15:34
* Yala (ยะลา) - 16:06 - three minute stop to change crews
* Pattani (ปัตตานี) - 16:37
* Hat Yai (หาดใหญ่) - 18:05 - 20 minute stop for attaching to No. 46 (from Padang Besar), and refuelling 
* Bang Kaeo (บางแก้ว) - 19:06
* Phatthalung (พัทลุง) - 19:34 - three minute stop to change crews 
* Thung Song (ทุ่งสง) - 21:19 - 15 minute stop for refuelling and changing crews 
* Surat Thani (สุราษฎร์ธานี) - 23:00 - three minute stop for changing crews 
* Chumphon (ชุมพร) - 01:36 (next day) - 10 minute stop for refuelling and changing crews 
* Bang Saphan Yai (บางสะพานใหญ่)- 03:08 
* Prachuap Khiri Khan (ประจวบคีรีขันธ์) - 04:17
* Hua Hin (หัวหิน) - 05:34  - three minute stop to change crews
* Ratchaburi (ราชบุรี) - 07:26
* Ban Pong (บ้านโป่ง) - 07:58
* Nakhon Pathom (นครปฐม) - 08:21
* Salaya (ศาลายา) - 09:05
* Bang Bumru (บางบำหรุ) - 09:32
* Bang Sue (บางซื่อ) - 09:54
* Sam Sen (สามเสน) - 10:05
* Bangkok (กรุงเทพ) - 10:30 arrival

== Current status ==
There are about 3-4 second class [[Rake (train)|rakes]] plus one first class rake for the train between Hat Yai-Su-ngai Kolok.

For the local people in the southern provinces, the Southern Special Express 37/38 serves as a means of  reassurance that the central government will not abandon the local people of the three southern provinces despite the ongoing insurgencies there.{{citation needed|date=July 2012}}

== References ==
* [http://www.railway.co.th/Ticket/TrainStopStation_Time_All.asp?IdTrain=37&Leg=en Schedule for Thaksin Special Express 37]
* [http://www.railway.co.th/Ticket/TrainStopStation_Time_All.asp?IdTrain=38&Leg=en Schedule for Thaksin Special Express 38]

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20061012051322/http://www.railway.co.th/english/images/south.gif SRT southern route timetable]

{{State Railway of Thailand}}
{{Rail transport in Thailand}}

[[Category:Passenger rail transport in Thailand]]
[[Category:Night trains]]
[[Category:Named passenger trains]]
[[Category:Railway services introduced in 1922]]