Sophon angered by Thaworn's "manners" in rail dispute

Transport Minister Sophon Saram expressed his dissatisfaction yesterday at a Cabinet colleague for holding talks with railway workers without his consent.

Sophon, a deputy leader of the coalition Bhum Jai Thai Party, suggested that Deputy Interior Minister Thaworn Senneam appeared to have ignored manners.

Thaworn, a veteran MP from Songkhla and a senior figure in the ruling Democrat Party, had managed to persuade protesting railway workers in the southern province's Hat Yai Junction to return to work. Train services from Hat Yai to the southern border provinces had been halted for two weeks during the protest.

"I don't know what Thaworn agreed with the labour union and I will not acknowledge it. Thaworn has never told me about it and I have no need to ask him. This is a matter of manners - what should be done and what not," Sophon said, his voice filled with emotion.

"I am the transport minister and the person responsible for this issue. Whether it's good or bad, it's my responsibility. I have tried to solve the [halted train services] problem and I have regularly informed the prime minister," he said, referring to the Democrat leader.

Sophon also expressed his approval of the decision by State Railway of Thailand governor Yuthana Thapcharoen to dismiss six railway workers in Hat Yai, including Wirun Sakaekhum, chief of the local workers' labour union.

Thaworn had earlier expressed opposition to the dismissal of the six railway workers.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who is Thaworn's fellow Democrat veteran, yesterday defended the transport minister, saying that Sophon had done his best to solve the problem of halted train services in the South.

He said the matter was under the direct responsibility of the Ministry of Transport. When asked if the matter would lead to a conflict between Democrat and Bhum Jai Thai, Suthep said coalition parties should compromise and clear up any dispute.