The construction of the long-delayed Thai-Chinese high-speed railway may actually start this year since the military government is considering invoking Section 44 of the interim charter to make it all possible.
Due to “technical problems and legal issues,” the project had been delayed. However, Deputy PM Somkid Jatusripitak said that the government “may need to ask for the National Council for Peace and Order’s permission to invoke Section 44,” so that they may proceed with the project.
The rail would run from Bangkok to the northeast province of Nakhon Ratchasima.
Somkid also noted that issues regarding the Thai-Chinese railway’s delay must be resolved by September, when PM Prayuth Chan-ocha is scheduled to attend the ninth BRICS summit (short for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) in China.
Recently, the Thai-Sino panel’s 18th meeting was held in Bangkok. Attendees included Wang Xiaotao, the vice chairman of China’s National Development and Reform Commission. After the meeting, Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith revealed that the SRT (State Railway of Thailand) will hire a Chinese company for the design and construction of this 252.5 kilometer railway in July. Project costs could be as high as THB179 billion.
The Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima railway project belongs to an even greater transportation game plan. The government proposes that there will also be a line from Nakhon Ratchasima to Nong Khai, the city bordering Laos.
The SRT divided the project into four sections: In the first 3.5 kilometers, the railway links Klang Dong to Pang Asok in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Pak Chong district. The other three sections are from Pak Chong to Sikhiu district, Sikhiu to Kaeng Khoi district in Saraburi, and finally, Kaeng Khoi to Bangkok.
All in all, it has been agreed that the railway is worth its high costs.
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