Thailand's 'floating train' a big hit as dam waters rise

LOP BURI, Thailand: Hundreds of passengers rode a ‘floating train’ on Sunday (November 6), a journey passing through one of the country’s largest water reservoirs located in central Thailand.

Tickets have been selling out fast for rides on the special train, where passengers have been enjoying the illusion of aquatic rail travel due to a post-monsoon rise in rising water levels.

“The view was amazing, I’m so impressed,” said 35-year-old first-time passenger, Bunyanuch Pahuyut, who had been waiting since last year to book the ticket.

"I was so happy and immediately used up all my (mobile phone) memory to take lots of photos. I never thought Thailand had unseen sites like this too," she added.

The route starts in the capital Bangkok and passes through the Pasak Jolasid dam in Lop Buri province six hours away on an elevated track just above the water level, which officials say has been unusually high this year.

The train makes a brief stop in the middle of the dam for passengers to alight and take photographs.

The special route, departing from Bangkok to the Pasak Jolasid dam, is only available for tourists on weekends from November to February. All tickets have been sold out until New Year.