The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has set up a safety centre at the station to augment security on trains and at railway stations from Hat Yai to the three southern border provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, which will be functional from last Monday until this Monday, said SRT southern train operation center head Banhan Kobyayang.

More carriages would be added to some trains, including the Bangkok-Sungai Kolok express, which normally has 13 carriages but will carry 15 during Songkran, while 10 local trains that run in areas considered at risk of insurgent violence will also get added carriages to accommodate the surge in travellers.

Security officers will patrol along the railway from Hat Yai to Sungai Kolok while railway police ride on the trains and bomb squads inspect major train stations including those in Hat Yai, Sungai Kolok, Tanyongmas and Yala during the period, Banhan added.