Why do they have sleeper cars for women in Thailand? Is it for security reasons?

Question

I was reading about train travel in Thailand and noticed they have sleepers for women and children. What dangers are there that lead to having these cars? Is it just about privacy? If that is not a problem, how common is it for a woman to use a normal sleeper car? Would a woman feel awkward?

Answer 1

According to this article, women-only carriages were introduced in Thailand after a 13-year old girl was raped in 2014. This article states that the rape was perpetrated by railway staff. Perhaps because of that, the staff of the women-only carriages consists solely of women.

So, it's safe to say that the women-only carriages are there for safety reasons. (Or, the perception of safety.)

That said, I lived in northern Thailand for over two years and took the sleeper between Bangkok and Chiang Mai many times. Yes, I'm male, but never did I get the feeling that, for myself or others, the journey could be construed as unsafe or risky. Very often, I saw women traveling alone or in women-only groups and they seemed extremely comfortable doing so.

Speculating, it is possible that the introduction of the women-only carriages in Thailand has more to do with the junta trying to placate the people over something relatively trivial than that it addresses serious safety concerns.