Bids Sought for $5.5 Billion Thailand to China High-Speed Rail

[webfact]

Bids Sought for $5.5 Billion Thailand to China High-Speed Rail

By Natnicha Chuwiruch

 

>> Total cost for first phase of the project is 180 billion baht

>> Contract part of wider plan for rail line from Bangkok to Laos

 

Thailand will seek bids in the fourth-quarter for a 180 billion baht ($5.5 billion) high-speed rail project that’s part of a wider plan for a train network to China.

 

The bidder will build the first half of the network in Thailand, Minister of Transport Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said in an interview Thursday. His ministry expects to receive detailed designs this month from China, its partner for the project, before approving them in August to kick start the bidding process for the 253-kilometer (157-mile) route.

 

"We have to approve the designs so we can go ahead with the next step, which is procurement of getting the contractor to construct this section," Arkhom said.

 

Full story: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-06-24/bids-sought-for-5-5-billion-thailand-to-china-high-speed-rail

 

-- Bloomberg 2018-06-25

[ratcatcher]

At this rate it will be completed sometime in the next century.

[RotMahKid]

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1044720-bids-sought-for-55-billion-thailand-to-china-high-speed-rail/

So what is it 55 billion or 5.5 billion?  

 

 

[bluesofa]

11 minutes ago, ratcatcher said:

At this rate it will be completed sometime in the next century.

You're being too optimistic.

 

[bluesofa]

12 minutes ago, RotMahKid said:

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1044720-bids-sought-for-55-billion-thailand-to-china-high-speed-rail/

So what is it 55 billion or 5.5 billion?  

 

 

I think it's probably down to the forum software ignoring the decimal point when it generates the url.

However, I see it now has a hyphen in there instead.

edit: Did my eyes deceive me? The hyphen I thought I saw, is not there right now.

 

Edited June 25, 2018 by bluesofa
misprit

[zaZa9]

6 hours ago, ratcatcher said:

At this rate it will be completed sometime in the next century.

There was a short  2 year delay to give the cronies time to "acquire" all the subject land and have it put in their own names.

Now the powers that be  are ready to sell... or lease...

[Srikcir]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Contract part of wider plan for rail line from Bangkok to Laos

"Thailand is in talks with China for a loan to fund the project and is negotiating terms such as the interest rate and a contract for rolling stock worth 8 billion baht,"

The Thai government still hasn't federal funds for the project nor Third Party Participants for capital. Just more foreign debt that means any slowdown or stoppage will trigger expensive defaults. That will forestall any changes in infrastructure planning and priorities by the next elected government.

[Cadbury]

7 hours ago, ratcatcher said:

At this rate it will be completed sometime in the next century.

I can give you a closer estimate than that. It takes about five years to build a slow speed rail track the 10 kilometres from Mo Chit to Saphan Mai and that's all flat going.

From Bangkok to Nong Khai it is about 600 km. So based on the above it should be completed in about 300 years or about the year 2318. Having the fare prices already set and tickets printed will save some valuable time. Also the new train station at Bag Sue is almost up and ready and waiting for the first HS train to head out. 

[Cadbury]

8 hours ago, RotMahKid said:

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1044720-bids-sought-for-55-billion-thailand-to-china-high-speed-rail/

So what is it 55 billion or 5.5 billion?  

 

 

I think it is US$5.5 million or 180 billion baht. At least for that the country hopefully gets a high speed train. That seems good value when compared to the 100 billion baht wasted on the Thai Niyom scheme (aka the Junta Party election slush fund) for which the country will end up with next to nothing to show for it. Thieving politicians, civil servants and provincial leaders excepted.

[oldrunner]

Surely this is a "tongue in cheek" Thai joke. Existing rail connections within Thailand, including elevated and underground rail systems are something of a not-so-funny joke.  Super rail to China, I don't think so. Another xx Billion Baht opportunity for hands to grab in the unaccounted funds fiasco. How much to project? How much to crooks?

 

 

[pornprong]

Ka-ching.

Time for the good General to buy another rolex.

Edited June 25, 2018 by pornprong

[bluesofa]

24 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

You have forgotten to subtract the 3.9km stretch that has already been completed. 

It's completed is it?

I have heard just nothing more about it since the ground-breaking ceremony last year.

 

[KiwiKiwi]

9 hours ago, RotMahKid said:

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1044720-bids-sought-for-55-billion-thailand-to-china-high-speed-rail/

So what is it 55 billion or 5.5 billion?  

 

 

 

Both. 55bn for him and 5.5bn for me. It's lower than the usual rate, that's the Chinese cut.

 

[CLW]

In the full article the minister mentions the high speed rail will reduce the number of cars on the street. This a joke!
He should thank the previous government for the second car scheme or the lax loan policy of buying a new car.
I just talked this weekend with a employee of a Thai bank. He said by himself that cars are too cheap in Thailand.
Some families have 4 cars he said. And all on loans. That is ridiculous.
Thailand needs some measures to instantly cut the number of cars on the road, especially in Bangkok.
I seriously call for a city toll, car pool lanes and implementation of a license plate scheme like Singapore.
People should only take the car if it is necessary!

[bluesofa]

4 minutes ago, CLW said:

In the full article the minister mentions the high speed rail will reduce the number of cars on the street. This a joke!
He should thank the previous government for the second car scheme or the lax loan policy of buying a new car.
I just talked this weekend with a employee of a Thai bank. He said by himself that cars are too cheap in Thailand.
Some families have 4 cars he said. And all on loans. That is ridiculous.
Thailand needs some measures to instantly cut the number of cars on the road, especially in Bangkok.
I seriously call for a city toll, car pool lanes and implementation of a license plate scheme like Singapore.
People should only take the car if it is necessary!

That will only happen when if people here become more altruistic and less selfish.

 

[Chris Lawrence]

I wonder which country is singing the money song.

 

The commission on raising the money will more than likely be a sift.

[CLW]

That will only happen when if people here become more altruistic and less selfish.
 

I just can't praise China enough for their infrastructure and traffic policy.
Motorcycles mostly banned from all big and medium cities.
Massive train and public transport network.
Not everyone who wants to have a car can do so.
Strict regulations for new registration of cars in big cities.
Massive promotion of electric and hybrid cars.
Of course not everything is perfect there in regards of human right and privacy but the government there is just setting the rules that are good for the development of the country.

[Cadbury]

2 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

You have forgotten to subtract the 3.9km stretch that has already been completed. 

No. I have been keeping a close eye as I regularly go to the Central General Hospital in Saphan Mai. I have been keenly watch progress; or rather the lack of progress. I dream of the day when I don't have to catch those rattle-trap buses held together with rivets and splonk or rely on the rip-off taxis from Mo Chit to get me there.

It has been about five years to six years now so I expect it will be about another four years from now before the PM climbs aboard and waves proudly to everyone from the drivers window. 

Suddenly I feel sick thinking about it.

Edited June 25, 2018 by Cadbury

[bluesofa]

8 minutes ago, Cadbury said:

No. I have been keeping a close eye as I regularly go to the Central General Hospital in Saphan Mai. I have been keenly watch progress; or rather the lack of progress. I dream of the day when I don't have to catch those rattle-trap buses held together with rivets and splonk or rely on the rip-off taxis from Mo Chit to get me there.

It has been about five years to six years now so I expect it will be about another four years from now before the PM climbs aboard and waves proudly to everyone from the drivers window. 

Suddenly I feel sick thinking about it.

 

I take it you must come down through Saraburi then - isn't that where this infamous 3.5km stretch is 'being' built?

 

[Cadbury]

Just now, bluesofa said:

I take it you must come down through Saraburi then - isn't that where this infamous 3.5km stretch is 'being' built?

 

I travel on the BTS to Mo Chit. I get off there and catch bus 28. I have been burned so may times by taxi drivers I get the bus and get off somewhere near Saphan Mai and wave down a taxi to take me to the hospital. That seems to work OK. When I leave the hospital the staff get me a cab and there is never a problem.

[Cadbury]

2 hours ago, bluesofa said:

It's completed is it?

I have heard just nothing more about it since the ground-breaking ceremony last year.

 

We are talking about the Mo Chit/Saphan Mai link. The ground breaking ceremony was for the China link to Nong Khai back in December with a piss-up, backslapping party for the PM and his elite friends. After that.....nothing.

[bluesofa]

2 minutes ago, Cadbury said:

We are talking about the Mo Chit/Saphan Mai link. The ground breaking ceremony was for the China link to Nong Khai back in December with a piss-up, backslapping party for the PM and his elite friends. After that.....nothing.

In that case, I've completely been arse-about-face in my understanding of the location! I thought that was the test track?

I always though it was somewhere in Supanburi near Kaeng Koi? However, wiki lists a 3.5km length as being in Nakon Ratchasima:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-speed_rail_in_Thailand#Northern_HSR:_Bangkok_-_Phitsanulok_-_Chiang_Mai_(Japanese-Thai_project)

 

[overherebc]

1 hour ago, CLW said:

In the full article the minister mentions the high speed rail will reduce the number of cars on the street. This a joke!
He should thank the previous government for the second car scheme or the lax loan policy of buying a new car.
I just talked this weekend with a employee of a Thai bank. He said by himself that cars are too cheap in Thailand.
Some families have 4 cars he said. And all on loans. That is ridiculous.
Thailand needs some measures to instantly cut the number of cars on the road, especially in Bangkok.
I seriously call for a city toll, car pool lanes and implementation of a license plate scheme like Singapore.
People should only take the car if it is necessary!

The car is necessary.  How else can you travel and show how much money you have.

[JAG]

3 hours ago, bluesofa said:

It's completed is it?

I have heard just nothing more about it since the ground-breaking ceremony last year.

 

Even if it is completed the only "train" they have is the cardboard one which was on display on the concourse at Hualampong Station a couple of years ago.