A budget proposal is currently being prepared by the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) to conduct a study for the second phase of extending the high-speed rail project, which will connect three major airports in Thailand.
Construction is already underway to connect Bangkok’s Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports with U-Tapao Airport in Rayong province. The SRT is also looking into the possibility of expanding the rail project into Trat province for its second extension phase, creating a Rayong-Chanthaburi-Trat link that will boost logistics and tourism in these provinces.
A proposal worth 100 million baht will be submitted to hire consultants and perform a study for a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) venture, as well as the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The process is expected to take about one year, with the results of the study to be submitted for consideration in 2024 and bidding scheduled for 2026.
The high-speed rail project, which is scheduled to be completed in four years, is one of the key infrastructure projects of Thailand’s flagship Eastern Economic Corridor project. (NNT)