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Ex-post Evaluation

Asia

1. Outline of the Project

  • Country: Thailand
  • Project title: The Railway Training Center Project
  • Issue/Sector: Public Utilities (Railway)
  • Cooperation scheme: Project-type Technical Cooperation
  • Section in charge: Railway Training Center
    Training and Development Bureau
  • Total cost: 580 million yen
  • Period of Cooperation
    June 1, 1992 - May 31, 1997
    (Original Project)
    April 1, 2001 - March 31, 2002
    (Aftercare Program)
  • Partner Country's Implementing Organization: State Railway of Thailand
  • Related Cooperation: N/A

1.1 Background of the Project

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) established a policy to develop an effective training system to meet the needs of proficient staffs due to the future expansion of the organization. However, the existing technical training equipments were inadequate and obsolete. Therefore, SRT, in 1992, submitted a request to Japanese Government to launch a technical cooperation project called "Railway Training Center Improvement Project", aiming to modernize the Railway Training Center (RTC) with up-to-date training facilities and curriculums.

During the original Project, the Japanese Government contributed about 3 million US-dollars worth of equipments and developed 21 technical training curriculums for 6 fields which are Train Operation, Rolling Stock, Transportation, Maintenance of Permanent Way, Signaling and Telecommunication. There were total of 10 long-term and 38 short-term Japanese experts dispatched to Thailand, and 26 counterparts trained in Japan. The Aftercare Program was implemented 4 years after completion of the Project. The main outcome from this program was the development of the First Aid and Quick Recovery Circuit Training Software for the General Electric Articulated locomotive (GEA locomotive) in which SRT staff could use as a personal trainer to improve personal skill in GEA locomotive operation. This program involved 5 short-term Japanese experts visited Thailand, and 1 counterpart trained in Japan.

1.2 Project Overview

The Japanese Government provided necessary training equipment, short-term and long-term experts, training programs for SRT staffs to be trained in Japan, as well as assistance in developing more effective training curriculums for SRT. On the other hand, training and practicing locations along with staffs to work with Japanese experts were provided by SRT.

(1) Overall Goal

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is able to implement training, which copes with modern facilities and technologies at the Railway Training Center (RTC).

(2) Project Purpose

SRT staffs obtain knowledge with regard to new technologies and facilities, including the knowledge on equipment maintenance and troubleshooting in 6 fields as follows:

  1. Train Operation
  2. Rolling Stock
  3. Transportation
  4. Maintenance of Permanent Way
  5. Signaling
  6. Telecommunication

(3) Outputs

1) Training is provided to SRT staff emphasizing on knowledge for planning, coordinating and implementing training courses.
2) Training facilities and equipment are installed and maintained properly.
3) SRT staff are trained to maintain equipment.
4) Training materials are prepared, including 47 titles for 21 training courses.

(4) Inputs
Japanese side:
Long-term Experts10  Equipments 120 million bath (392.4 million yen)
Short-term Experts 38Local Cost 13 million baht (42.4 million yen)
Thai Side:
Project Director1 Counterparts 26
Project Committees 11Facilities Renovation Cost 33 million baht (106 million yen)
Project Secretaries 3 Local Cost 10 million baht (32.8 million yen)

2. Evaluation Team

Member of Evaluation Team
Dr. Sarawoot Watechagit
Kaihatsu Management Consulting (Thailand) Ltd.
Period of Evaluation
3 October 2005 – 30 January 2006
Type of Evaluation: Ex-Post Evaluation

3. Result of Ex-Post Evaluation

3.1 Summary of Ex-Post Evaluation Result

(1) Impact

The impact in terms of the technical aspect attained by the overall goal is high. By using experiences and knowledge obtained from the Project, RTC has developed more new training programs by expanding the 21 programs at the time of the Project completion to currently 28 programs which incorporates all 9 courses developed during the Project with more courses. 47 textbooks developed during the Project have been improved and modified to be a main reference for many related courses including some courses in the newly developed training program. Due to the effectiveness of the developed training program, it has also expanded to the regional stations, but as an on-the-job or on-site training basis. Nonetheless, the courses or topics to be trained at the regional stations are arranged upon requested basis depending on the types of problems currently found from the locomotive operation at the regional stations.

(2) Sustainability

The organization aspect was evaluated and concluded as high. The major structures of the SRT and the RTC have not been changed, except the RTC position. Since 2002, the RTC has been controlled by Personnel Department under the Administrative sector so that the training programs could be properly arranged for all staffs. Counterparts who were trained in Japan have been promoted to a higher rank in the SRT organization, where the knowledge from the training programs could be beneficial for better decision making as well as better organization's policy development. The privatization of the SRT has not started and will be further discussed once any flaws regarding to the current administrative system including the budget allocation problems are considered to be resolved.

The technical aspect is considered also as high. The technical resources from the outcomes of the Project have been well utilized and maintained including 120 laboratory equipments, 47 textbooks and the troubleshooting software are still in use and have been good resources for staff to gain personal knowledge for any particular area of interests. Moreover, more new training programs have been developed.

The Personnel Development aspect is evaluated as low due to the change of the recruitment policy causing the sustainability in question. Due to the lacking of personnel, most of the training program for newly recruited staff could not be fully implemented. The Financial aspect is considered as low. Since the terminal of the Project, the SRT has not fully supported the RTC. The budget for maintaining lab equipment is totally cut, and the budget for operating training programs is decreased. Therefore, the RTC has been in a difficult time of trying to maintain training facilities and running the training programs.

3.2 Factors that have promoted project

(1) Impact

Both short-terms and long-terms experts laid a good background on the development of the training programs such that the newly developed curriculum has been formulated in a systematical way, and ensured to fit the current technical needs.

(2) Sustainability

The inclusion of the RTC to the Personnel Department under the Administration sector amplifies the importance of the RTC' role and encourages the RTC to develop more thorough training programs to meet every knowledge need of the staffs.

The competencies of RTC's staffs and former counterparts were recognized among SRT's staffs. They have relied on their obtained knowledge and personal skills to manage and improve the RTC in a systematical way, such as the development of new training programs for every level of staffs or the maintenance of all equipment under the budget deficiency situation. Regional staffs are also well equipped with technical knowledge by the on-the-job training program and the use of the troubleshooting software for personal training and as a quick reference.

3.3 Factors that have inhibited project

(1) Impact

The policy factor regards to the new recruitment policy produces zero newly recruited staff since the completion of the Project. The lacking of personnel prohibited the proper implementation of the training program due to the problems with the reduced number of attended trainees, and the shortened duration of the training program.

(2) Sustainability

The change for the recruitment policy caused the lacking of personnel as stated. If this problem persists, the future of the RTC will be in questioned, since there will be no trainees for any courses.

The financial factor mainly regards to the budget deficiency for maintaining the equipment. The budget deficiency prohibited improvement of training materials and facilities. Averagely about 50% or less of the requested budget for maintaining equipment is approved each year, which can be used for minor parts replacements or repairs.

3.4 Conclusion

After the Project completion in 2002, The impact of the Project in terms of the attainment of the overall goal is high. This accounts for the ability of the RTC to maintain and improve the training facilities established during the Project. By using experiences and knowledge obtained from the Project, RTC has developed more new training programs by expanding the programs developed during the Project to more programs and more courses. All textbooks developed during the Project have been used for the related courses, and as a reference to develop new. Due to the effectiveness of the developed training program, it has also expanded to the regional stations, but as an on-the-job or on-site training basis. Therefore, the impact in terms of the technical aspect attained by the overall goal is high.

The sustainability of the Project in the areas of organizational and technical aspects is high. The current organization structure where the RTC is controlled by the Personnel Department amplifies the importance of the RTC in such a way that both newly recruited and existing staffs can be trained in a systematical way. For the technical aspect, the RTC is able to maintain training facilities regardless of the budget deficiency problem, also able to expand the training programs using courses and facilities provided by the Project. The sustainability in the area of personnel development and financial aspects is contrarily low due to the change of the recruitment policy, and the shortage of financial support from the SRT, respectively.

Factors promoting the Project include the Japanese experts who laid a good background on the development of the training programs, the inclusion of the RTC to the Personnel Department, and the competencies of RTC's staff and counterparts to further improve the RTC's operation by relying on their obtained knowledge and personal skills to manage and improve the RTC in a systematical way, such as the development of new training programs for every level of staffs or the maintenance of all equipment under the budget deficiency situation.

Factors inhibiting the Project in both impact and sustainability aspects are the financial deficiency, and the change of recruitment policy. They were however the effects from the policy change which are beyond the control of the Project, i.e., external factors of the Project.

3.5 Recommendations

FOR JICA:

JICA may need to discuss with SRT regarding to the situation of the annual fund for RTC. The study found that there should be an agreement between JICA and SRT which indicated that SRT should provide necessary amount of fund such that all equipment provided by the Project would be well maintained, upgraded or improved after the Project completion. But currently the budget for RTC is one of major concerns as stated.

For SRT:

RTC needs to be supported and promoted by SRT or the Ministry of Transportation such that its potential is recognized throughout the Asia Pacific region, in order to fully utilize RTC's capability, developed training courses and programs, and other facilities provided by the Project. After all, the RTC has had strong background in locomotive training, knowledgeable staffs, and modern training equipment based on the help from the Project. This can open a chance of further developing RTC to be a regional training center for all countries in Asia Pacific area.

SRT needs to reconsider the recruitment policy. The current one may lead to more problems both in the technical aspect and the management system due to the lacking of knowledgeable staffs in RTC.

RT needs to approve fund for RTC to set up a more concrete and useful training program for regional substations, if the current recruitment policy cannot be altered. Currently, the on-the-job training basis can only temporarily solve the problem. Thorough training for staffs still needs to be done for effective administration system of RTC.

3.6 Lesson Learned

To promote sustainability, the Project should have provided guideline to modify the provided equipments such that they can be further utilized for some other related applications when applicable. Based on the study, some equipment such as the Driving Simulator and the troubleshooting software were developed only for a certain locomotive, specifically the GEA locomotive. The Project should have provided guideline to modify these equipments such that they can also be used for some other locomotives of the SRT's fleet such as HITACHI locomotive, etc.

For the Project or any other project which involves developing a training program, during the period of planning the related curriculum, factors such as the duration of training program, the number of instructors, the number of trainees, budget, etc., and the variation of these factors in the future, should as well be considered, besides the consideration of the technical aspects of the program. The programs should have been formulated by considering also the amount of staffs for the future situations such that it can ensure the benefit of the training program reaches all staffs under any circumstance. Based on the evaluated Project, the developed training programs were established by considering mainly the technical needs. However, under the current situation, the technical knowledge of the RTC is concrete, but there is no trainee attending the training program. This is because the training program was not planned for a zero trainee situation.

Most of hardware and software equipment provided by JICA during the Project were directly procured from Japan. Hence, it is very difficult to find an agent to repair or obtain any spare part when some of them are broken or malfunction. Therefore, it might be more convenient if only necessary and limited numbers of equipment acquired from Japan. This could reduce maintenance problems after the Project completion.

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