port back at work, but

Bangkok port yesterday

Bangkok port yesterday resumed normal service after more than three days of work stoppage, which severely disrupted the country's international trade.

Sunida Sakulrat, director of the Port Authority of Thailand, said it would handle five vessels yesterday.

"All workers have returned to work after a successful round of negotiations with the labour union. Workers were convinced that the country's economy would be further damaged by their strike."

"The strike would also hurt the port and workers in terms of income," she said, noting that the port was now ready to handle all vessels.

Earlier, port workers joined other state enterprise unions and the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy to pressure Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej.

Thongyoo Khongkhan, president of the Import Export Transport Association, said state-enterprise unions should not be politically motivated.

The three-day closure of Bangkok port, for instance, has resulted in losses for the port itself, the Customs Department and shippers, who had to pay extra to move containers to Laem Chabang in Chon Buri, Thongyoo said.

Part of the national railway service is still out of service. The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) said that of the 58 southbound trains only 18 were running yesterday.

SRT deputy governor Thawil Samnakorn said the remaining 40, both passenger and cargo trains, were key trunk transport links between the central and southern regions.

The SRT management is in talks with around 1,000 striking members of the SRT labour union.

Thawil said the stoppage had cost the state agency a hefty Bt70 million.