Rail strike nears an end

       The rail strike is expected to come to an end after substitute drivers have been hired to run idle trains and the labour union announced it was ready to negotiate with the government.
       All long-haul trains from Bangkok to the South and local trains in southern provinces will resume services tomorrow as the new staff fill in for railway workers out on strike.
       Permanent secretary for transport and State Railway of Thailand board member Supoj Saplom said all train services would be fully operational tomorrow.
       The cabinet yesterday gave the SRT the green light to recruit mechanical graduates of the SRT technical school and retired train drivers to fill in for the workers who have walked off the job over the past few days.
       The railway union has indicated it is prepared to make concessions and is ready to hold talks with railway management to end the strike.
       Union leader Sawit Kaeowan said he was ready to negotiate with SRT management and Transport Minister Sohpon Zarum to break the deadlock.
       However, Mr Sawit wanted Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart to mediate the talks.
       The transport minister and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva were taking a tough line with the union over the issue, Mr Sawit said.
       The union leader said the talks should set the stage for the union and railway executives to sign a joint agreement that addressed the issues involv-ing the repair and maintenance of locomotives.
       He urged the government to spend about 100 million baht on the repair and maintenance of the old locomotives.
       The transport minister said he would only negotiate with the union after the drivers returned to work.
       Mr Sohpon said staff who stopped work without good reason would face disciplinary action.
       He insisted staff who took leave and were absent from work for more than 15 days would be dismissed.
       SRT governor Yutthana Thapcharoen said the cabinet approval of substitute drivers and workers would pave the way for the recruitment of 171 new staff.
       The new staff would start working as mechanics while mechanics with at least seven years of work experience would be promoted to train drivers.
       Mr Yutthana said the SRT board on Monday approved a change to a regulation to allow 28 former rail staff to work temporarily.
       He said he had assigned his deputy to head a team to negotiate with the union.
       The SRT governor said it was pointless for the union to use the issue involving the safety of the locomotives as a lever in talks with SRT management and the Transport Ministry.
       He said SRT management had stressed the need for all staff to ensure locomotives and tracks were always kept in good condition.
       Pol Col Supisarn Phakdinaruenart,deputy chief of the Crime Suppression Division, said police were investigating complaints filed by Wirat Chantharat,chief of the SRT's legal investigation division, against railway staff whose work stoppage affected passengers.
       Pol Col Supisarn said evidence including television footage showed two or three rail workers might have deliberately caused the disruption of the train services.
       The officer expected the investigation to be finalised within a week.
       If SRT staff, who are state employees,were found to be in the wrong, the case would be submitted to the National Anti-Corruption Commission, Pol Col Supisarn said.
       In Nakhon Ratchasima, Sathorn Sinpru, leader of the railway union's local branch, said about 10 train drivers and mechanics yesterday handed in leave letters, bringing the number of workers on leave to more than 30.
       Mr Sathorn said the workers cited work-related stress and low morale as reasons for taking time off.