Thailand Pledges to Finish US$12 Billion High-Speed Rail Link to China by 2028

• 9 July 2022
• Construction Focus
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Thailand has pledged to complete its part of a much-delayed high-speed rail system linking the country to China through Laos by 2028, which is a link to Yunnan, China via Nong Khai, Laos, according to Bloomberg published on 06 July 2022.

Thailand will complete the first of two stages of construction, and expects a test run by 2026 and the official launch the following year, budgeted at US$12 billion.

The same source added that the first stage project comprises 609 kilometres going to the north-eastern border province of Nong Khai, where a bridge will be built over the Mekong River to connect with the China-Laos line

To date, the construction project has been 12% completed with two sections of construction. The first section will run from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima province while the second section will go further northeast to the border with Laos.

In a meeting between Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on 05 July, the economic corridors connecting China, Laos and Thailand will promote logistics, trade and economic development.

The Laos and Thailand rails are seen by many as the start of infrastructure that will directly connect the world’s second-largest economy with much of Southeast Asia, including Malaysia and Singapore.

Laos already opened a rail line in December that costs nearly US$6 billion to link with China. (Read more)

Photo credit to CNN

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