Progress on high-speed railway project, the initial phase of which connects Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima, is about 24% complete as it is expected to be ready for operation in the year 2027.
The governor of the State Railway of Thailand Nirut Maneephan disclosed the progress made on the construction of the Thailand-China high-speed railway project, spanning 608 kilometers from Bangkok to Nong Khai, with the initial phase covering the 253-kilometer stretch from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima. The initial project has a budget of 180 billion baht.
Overall construction progress has reached 24%, slightly delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact between 2020 and 2022, which led to construction halts. Out of the 14 contracts originally planned, 10 remains under construction, with one in the preparatory phase, and two contracts yet to be signed. Only one contract has been completed.
One particular challenge lies in the construction of the train station in Ayutthaya province, as it may affect the world heritage site. Negotiations are ongoing with the Fine Arts Department to reach an agreement, but if unsuccessful, the railway will be built without a station in Ayutthaya.
As for procuring high-speed train sets from China, they will be similar to China’s Fuxing Hao CR300 high-speed trains, capable of reaching speeds of 250 kilometers per hour. Each train set consists of 8 cars, with an estimated ticket price of around 500 baht. The bidding process for train procurement is currently pending.
Regarding the project’s second phase, from Nakhon Ratchasima to Nong Khai, covering a distance of 355 kilometers with a budget of 300 billion baht, the design phase is complete. Approval from the Thai government is awaited, and once granted, a new bidding process will commence for its construction.
The high-speed rail project between Thailand and China is a strategic route connecting Thailand to the Laotian and Chinese rail networks, forming part of the new Silk Road era. (TNA)
