Thai junta approves $23-billion high-speed rail projects
Thailand’s ruling junta has approved a $23-billion transport project that will see two high-speed railways link up directly with China by 2021, in a move seen as a further consolidation of Chinese power in the region.
The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), headed by General Prayuth Chan-ocha – who took control of Thailand in a bloodless military coup in May – unveiled plans this week connecting the northern border town of Nong Khai with Map Ta Phut, located south-east of Bangkok. Chaing Khong, just south of the Laos capital Vientiane, will also be connected to Ban Phachi, in the central Ayutthaya regions.
The railway lines will link up directly to Kunming, in China’s southern Yunnan province, in what analysts have termed Chinese “high-speed railway diplomacy”.
China is looking to build a 3,000-kilometer high-speed line from Kunming all the way down to Singapore, passing through Laos, Thailand and Malaysia – a project that would increase China’s GDP and those of the involved nations by $375 billion, a former Chinese railway chairman told the China Daily.
According to China Railway Corp, it appears the Kunming-Singapore line will be constructed in four stages, from Kunming to Vientiane, Vientiane to Bangkok, Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur, and Kuala Lumpur to Singapore. Construction of the Thai lines is planned to begin next year as part of the new eight-year 741.4 billion baht ($23.3 billion) infrastructure development project connecting Bangkok and other key cities with airports, seaports, border areas and cargo depots, with some 106 new trains added to the existing fleet. Six dual-track railway lines will also be constructed under the same scheme.
The two routes comprise nearly 1,400 kilometers in total, but unlike many other high-speed trains, which generally run at a speed of 200 km per hour, will only be able to run at 160 km per hour until further investment would allow a higher-speed system.
Thailand's ruling junta has approved a $23-billion transport project that will see two high-speed railways link up directly with China by 2021, in a move seen as a further consolidation of Chinese power in the region. The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), headed by General Prayuth Chan-ocha - who took control of Thailand in a bloodless military coup in May - unveiled plans this week connecting the northern border town of Nong Khai with Map Ta Phut, located south-east of Bangkok. Chaing Khong, just south of the Laos capital Vientiane, will also be connected to Ban Phachi, in...
Thailand’s ruling junta has approved a $23-billion transport project that will see two high-speed railways link up directly with China by 2021, in a move seen as a further consolidation of Chinese power in the region.
The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), headed by General Prayuth Chan-ocha – who took control of Thailand in a bloodless military coup in May – unveiled plans this week connecting the northern border town of Nong Khai with Map Ta Phut, located south-east of Bangkok. Chaing Khong, just south of the Laos capital Vientiane, will also be connected to Ban Phachi, in the central Ayutthaya regions.
The railway lines will link up directly to Kunming, in China’s southern Yunnan province, in what analysts have termed Chinese “high-speed railway diplomacy”.
China is looking to build a 3,000-kilometer high-speed line from Kunming all the way down to Singapore, passing through Laos, Thailand and Malaysia – a project that would increase China’s GDP and those of the involved nations by $375 billion, a former Chinese railway chairman told the China Daily.
According to China Railway Corp, it appears the Kunming-Singapore line will be constructed in four stages, from Kunming to Vientiane, Vientiane to Bangkok, Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur, and Kuala Lumpur to Singapore. Construction of the Thai lines is planned to begin next year as part of the new eight-year 741.4 billion baht ($23.3 billion) infrastructure development project connecting Bangkok and other key cities with airports, seaports, border areas and cargo depots, with some 106 new trains added to the existing fleet. Six dual-track railway lines will also be constructed under the same scheme.
The two routes comprise nearly 1,400 kilometers in total, but unlike many other high-speed trains, which generally run at a speed of 200 km per hour, will only be able to run at 160 km per hour until further investment would allow a higher-speed system.
