BANGKOK, 14 Oct 2014, The government has reaffirmed that the high speed train, part of its 2.2 trillion baht infrastructure development projects, will reach Nong Khai Province.
According to Prime Minister’s Office Deputy Spokesperson Lieutenant Sunisa Lertpakawat, construction of the Nong Khai route will be completed at the same time as the northern route in Chiang Mai, following the approval of the 2014 budgetary bill. The construction is expected to take 7 years.
Meanwhile, Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt said his ministry’s proposed budget for the high-speed train project had been given a nod by the cabinet. According to him, the 2014-15 budget will be spend on the costs of feasibility study of high speed railways construction from Nakhon Ratchasima to Nong Khai, the Environmental Impact Assessment, and project design, as well as the expenses of producing project bidding documents.
When the required studies are completed, the projects will be ready for auction in 2016, said the Minister, adding that, with the estimated construction time of 4 years, the high speed railways projects in Chiang Mai and Nong Khai will be up and running in 2021.
