China Will Invest In Thai High-Speed Train, Better Rail Links

BANGKOK, July 29 (Bernama) -- China has agreed to invest in Thailand's first high-speed railway and provide funding to the development of the Thai rail link system, Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban told the Cabinet on Wednesday, Thai News Agency (TNA) reported.
The minister who visited China from July 16-23, said the negotiations between the two countries included development of rails at the Thai-Lao border of Thailand's Nong Khai province to Laos and to China.
The line is expected to also link to Sungai Kolok in Thailand's southern province of Narathiwat to Malaysia and will upgrade the quality of Thai rail links so that in future it could link via the north to Europe and in the south to Singapore, TNA reported.
The project will be built as a standard-gauge rail link and is expected to cover transport in all countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean).
Concerning the high-speed train, the deputy premier said China will cooperate with Thailand to build the country's first high-speed rail line from Bangkok to the eastern province of Rayong, which will also connect to Laos.
He said Thailand will be responsible for procuring land, while China will provide investment, technology and management.
The rail line would extend 240 kilometres from Bangkok's downtown Makkasan area to Rayong on the Eastern Seaboard. The travel time is expected at approximately one hour from an original three-hour drive.
Suthep said that Chinese technology for high-speed trains is highly advanced.
He said he rode a Chinese train from Beijing to Tian Xing which took only 29 minutes for over 200 kilometres. The train runs at 338km/hr and Suthep said it was the "best quality" compared to railways he had travelled on in other countries.
He suggested that a Thai committee be set up to discuss the matter in detail with China, adding that there might be an agreement when Thai prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva visits China in the near future.
China also said it would promote Thailand as a tourist destination among Chinese. It will also consider buying more rice from Thailand, and noted that the rail link development will provide convenience for people in the region to travel and enhance a better logistics and transport system.
Meanwhile, Transport Minister Sophon Sarum said the ministry plans to expand the country's existing rail links, but the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) will have to research the issue and there might be an adjustment of the standard gauge rail link system to ensure that it can link to the rail system of Thailand's neighbouring countries.
Sophon said the joint venture between Thailand and China did not affect the government budget of Bt170 billion previously approved by the Cabinet to improve the Thai rail system, as the cooperation is a project offered by Chinese authorities to improve all Thai rail links from Nong Khai to China, and Nong Khai to Sungai Kolok.
-- BERNAMA
Source: http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsworld.php?id=517429