The China-Thailand Railway is making significant strides towards enhancing regional connectivity in Southeast Asia. In October, the first continuous beam was closed for the initial phase, bringing the project closer to completion.
This ambitious railway project is divided into two main phases. The first phase links Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, with Nakhon Ratchasima Province. The second phase will extend the connection from Nakhon Ratchasima to Nong Khai City, located in northeast Thailand on the Laos border. This extension will seamlessly connect with the China-Laos railway, creating a vital artery that links Thailand, Laos, and China.
The second phase, approved in April by the State Railway of Thailand, involves an investment of 341.35 billion baht (approximately $10 billion). Stretching over 845 kilometers, the railway is Thailand’s first standard-gauge high-speed railway, symbolizing a major advancement in the country’s infrastructure.
Initiated by a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by the Chinese and Thai governments in 2014, the China-Thailand Railway forms a key component of China’s broader strategy to develop a network of rail links across Southeast Asia. Both Thailand and China have committed to accelerating construction efforts to ensure timely completion.
Despite initial delays caused by the proximity of a station site to a UNESCO World Heritage site, Thailand’s Deputy Transport Minister Surapong Piyachote announced in early September that the project would proceed as planned, with no further setbacks expected.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
