BANGKOK, March 18 – The Transport Ministry is set to seek cabinet approval tomorrow on Bt2 trillion in loans for Thailand’s mega infrastructure projects and construction of four high-speed railway routes.
The high-speed train projects will connect Bangkok with Chiang Mai in the North, with Nong Khai in the Northeast, with Padang Besar in the South and with Rayong in the East.
Investment in some projects such as road construction and marine transport will be slashed to give the high-speed train scheme a major push.
State Railway of Thailand governor Prapas Chongsanguan said the SRT is ready to go ahead with the high-speed train project and insisted that management of the train system and service should be left to the SRT instead of setting up a new organisation to run it in the future.
According to an estimate, the cost of the Bangkok-Chiang Mai route, some 670 km, is Bt390 billion, Bangkok-Rayong, at 221 km, is Bt70 billion, Bangkok-Nong Khai, at 615 km, is Bt150 billion while the cost for the 982 km Bangkok-Padang Besar route is still being evaluated.
The original plan for Bangkok-Hua Hin route was for Bt80 billion but the Transport Ministry has decided to extend it to Padang Besar on the Thai-Malaysian border.
Bang Sue station in Bangkok will serve as the hub of the high-speed train service which will begin operations in 2019-2020.
