Bangkok – Thailand has received a full study report from Japan on the high-speed rail cooperation project for the Bangkok-Chiang Mai route, which is expected to be proposed to the Cabinet in three months’ time.
With a total of budget of 420 billion baht, the project, which covers a distance of 672 kilometers, will be divided into Phase I from Bangkok-Phitsanulok and Phase II from Phitsanulok-Chiang Mai. Within the next three months, study results from Japan are expected to be presented to the Cabinet for approval, after which the design of construction works for the first phase, stretching 380 kilometers, will begin.
Japan will be mainly involved in the design process as well as the transfer of knowledge and experience to Thailand. However, the Thai government has invited Japan to also invest in the operation and maintenance of the high-speed train system under a 30-year contract as the Kingdom will need to borrow the Japanese Shinkansen technology.
