The State Railway of Thailand has unveiled one of the 17 ‘Kiha 183 Series’ diesel trains that has been refurbished after it was imported from Hokkaido. The body of the carriage has been repainted in the same design as the ‘Okhotsk Limited Express’ (Sapporo – Abashiri), which was operated by JR Hokkaido at the time, to recreate a ‘Japanese railway’. The train will begin operating as a sightseeing train from late August.
　
Japanese language posters introducing tourist attractions in Thailand are displayed in the train’s interior. Seat numbers are also displayed in the same design as they were when the train operated in Hokkaido, creating a ‘Japanese railway space’.
　
According to the head of the diesel rolling stock maintenance center, “As well as Thai people who love Japan, we also hope that Japanese railway enthusiasts ride the train, so we have restored it to as near as its original state as possible.” It is planned to introduce four carriages on routes between Bangkok and tourist spots such as Ayutthaya and the like.