BANGKOK: The Thai-Chinese high-speed railway from Bangkok to Nong Khai is on track to open for public use in 2030, Transport Minister and Deputy PM Suriya Juangroongruangkit said after progress talks with Chinese authorities on Wednesday (May 8).
Officials had previously indicated the whole line would open as soon as 2028. However, the megaproject, estimated to cost 341 billion baht, has been plagued by delays caused by financing disputes between the two countries.
Suriya met with Wu Hao, head of China’s National Development and Reform Commission, in Beijing during the 31st joint committee meeting since the megaproject commenced in 2020.
The talks came after China called on the two nations to speed up construction of the 873-kilometre rail link in January, following years of delays.
The high-speed railway will link China and Thailand via Laos as part of China’s global Belt and Road Initiative.
Suriya said the committee acknowledged the progress of construction under Thailand’s responsibility in Phase 1, covering the line from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima where two out of 14 contracts are now complete. The first phase is expected to open in 2028.
Phase 2 from Nakhon Ratchasima to Nong Khai has passed an environmental impact assessment with construction scheduled to begin next year, he said.
This section will link with the Laos-China railway and open in 2030, marking the completion of the project, he said.
Suriya added that a new Mekong high-speed rail bridge to link Nong Khai and the Laos capital of Vientiane will be constructed using the State Railway of Thailand’s 2024 fiscal budget.
During the meeting, Thailand also proposed the Transport Ministry’s Rail Technology Research and Development Agency as a central agency to facilitate technology and innovation transfer among the three countries.
The 32nd meeting of the project’s joint committee will be held in Thailand, with the date yet to be announced. - The Nation/ANN
