The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) plans to invest an additional 300 billion baht in the second phase of the Thai-Chinese high-speed railway project.
According to SRT officials, the blueprint for the 356-kilometer section of the project’s second phase extending from Nakhon Ratchasima to the border province of Nong Khai has already been completed. The Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) will soon receive an environmental impact assessment (EIA) before proceeding.
The SRT will present a proposal to its executive board for consideration before submitting it to the Cabinet for approval in January or February of next year. If approved, a bid will be called and the winner determined by the end of 2023.
The SRT said the rail project, which will take four years to complete, is scheduled to begin in 2024, with 13 contracts to be awarded. 12 will be awarded for construction and one for the railroad signaling system.
The project’s second phase includes a 185-kilometer ground track and a 171-kilometer elevated track in several northeastern provinces, including Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani and Nong Khai. The five railway stations along the route will be located in Bua Yai, Ban Phai, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani and Nong Khai.
The high-speed railway project is divided into three phases, with the final section connecting Nong Khai to the Laotian capital Vientiane and Kunming in China’s Yunnan Province. (NNT)
 |
 |
 |
