Thailand suggests slower bullet train amid high cost estimate

Proposal could lead to concessions from Japan or project's demise

HIROSHI KOTANI, Nikkei staff writer

 

BANGKOK -- A project to build a high-speed railway in Thailand based on Japan's shinkansen technology has taken an unexpected turn, with the Southeast Asian country considering a significant downgrade to cut costs.

 

Not so fast

 

"The 670km Thai-Japanese high-speed train project stretching from Bangkok to Chiang Mai is to have its maximum speed lowered to reduce the overall cost of the project," the English-language Bangkok Post wrote Dec. 27.

 

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who leads the country's junta, instructed transport officials to consider reducing the top speed from 300kph to between 180kph and 200kph. The development came less than two weeks after a report by Japan calculated the project's cost at 420 billion baht ($13.1 billion), a sum Bangkok deems too high.

 

Full story: https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/International-Relations/Thailand-suggests-slower-bullet-train-amid-high-cost-estimate

 

-- NIKKEI ASIAN REVIEW 2018-01-18

No shame at admitting that you know zilch about HST and leave that to the experts if there are any in your cabinet. 

It defeats the point really having a fast train service go slower. Then again it is pointless having a BTS system that has so few carriages that there are so big queues, that using public transport to reduce road traffic congestion, is worthless. Must be another 'Thainess' concept I haven't got my head round, even after 17 years living here full time.

Does the bullet train then become the pea-shooter train?  

3 minutes ago, Laughing Gravy said:

It defeats the point really having a fast train service go slower. Then again it is pointless having a BTS system that has so few carriages that there are so big queues, that using public transport to reduce road traffic congestion, is worthless. Must be another 'Thainess' concept I haven't got my head round, even after 17 years living here full time.

Just use electric train with max 120km/h. Or go for Chinese made which should be half of Japanese made.

Thailand will have a successful bullet train service developed in Japan not China.

 

perhaps a bb, pellet or slingshot train would be advisable 

They should check out if they can get any commission from buying this set.

47 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thailand suggests slower bullet train amid high cost estimate

 

They could try building it in the Matrix.

Thailand 4.0: Slow bullet trains.

19 minutes ago, HooHaa said:

perhaps a bb, pellet or slingshot train would be advisable 

 

I was just going to suggest renaming it the slingshot train as well 555

 

Bullet train sounds pretty ridiculous once you remove the speed. 

Seems the coffers are empty ...

Just need to stick the old 10 horsepower Kubota engine in it and she'll be right.

Edited January 18, 20188 yr by akirasan

40 minutes ago, rebo said:

Seems the coffers are empty ...

Yes, good time for an election and let the politicians clear up the mess. 

Japan could sell them the decommissioned first generation of bullet trains from the 1970s which runs at max 200km/h! Or just give them free.

 

The speed doesn't really make much difference to the price most tracks even metros have tolerances similar to high speed.Still the same viaducts, tunnels and land formation. Unless they are going for wooden sleeper and ballast,. But then again it was all probably bullshit from the start

Edited January 18, 20188 yr by Dave67

4 hours ago, CelticBhoy said:

Does the bullet train then become the pea-shooter train?  

A  <deleted>  train

Edited January 18, 20188 yr by Dave67

3 hours ago, rebo said:

Seems the coffers are empty ...

 

I have a mental image of the next government visiting the Treasury and finding it stacked with cash around the outside, but hollow and empty in the centre - something like those rice warehouses of a few years ago.

And having decided to run it slower, will they also now admit that the Chinese-line will similarly be medium-speed, rather than keeping-up the pretence of 'high-speed' ?

Think it's about time to forget the train lines.....just can't see very much happening for years and years....except maybe 3.5km in Nakon somewhere!

12 hours ago, Dave67 said:

 

The speed doesn't really make much difference to the price most tracks even metros have tolerances similar to high speed.Still the same viaducts, tunnels and land formation. Unless they are going for wooden sleeper and ballast,. But then again it was all probably bullshit from the start

Can someone remind me I Recall High speed bullshit express Line 1 was China to Lam Chabang,  Is this one part of High speed bullshit express line 2 or 3 ?

What is expensive tomorrow will be considered cheap next year or in the future as costs always going up....

Of course there is a strong opposition anyway from insiders and certain business tycoons who stand to lose out should that HST

Materialises?

On 16/01/2018 at 11:11 AM, sweatalot said:

No comment

 

Edited January 19, 20188 yr by Mickmouse1

My guess is that they want a cheaper train as it will cost less to replace when it hits a pick-up on the rail-crossing !

Well it would be a lot safer ,they had difficulty keeping the

really slow trains on that route, on the tracks.

regards worgeordie

The speed of the train was never going to be 300kph as claimed in this story. It was always intended to be 250kph so a drop of around 50kph is not so big deal. Poor reporting.

So here they are debating how fast it will go and how much will they spend only weeks before they promised construction would begin next month. Typical military style bungling governance.

So can it be expected the same will apply to the Chinese fast train line through to Nong Khai? Presumably the budgets for both have been revised downward because of other financial pressures. 

IMHO the chances of these high speed trains ever happening is almost nil. This military junta seems to have trouble making even the most simplest things happen including holding an election and clearing footpaths.

This is what they want..........

 

This is what they can afford........

Anything above 50kph is a major improvement on the existing service!