Picture: Daily News

 

Thailand's transport minister Saksayam Chidchob held a teleconference meeting - the 29th one - with a counterpart in China called Ning Jee Jer to discuss progress on the Thai/Chinese high speed rail projects in Thailand, reported Daily News.

 

Firstly the Thais reported that most of the civil engineering work had begun on the stretch from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima or Korat. This was proceeding according to PM Prayuth Chan-o-cha's masterplan. 

 

Picture: Daily News

 

Secondly, the Korat to Nong Khai stage of the railway was now in the planning stage and studies were nearing completion. The Thais wanted a Chinese advisor to check over the plans. 

 

Thirdly the Thai side proposed that a meeting be set up between the Thais, Laotians and Chinese to discuss the connection between Nong Khai and Vientiane. 

 

Lastly, changes to the Bang Sue to Don Mueang section of the three airport rail link were discussed.

 

This appears to be modifications on the route between the two hubs in Bangkok. 

 

The last of these projects is a plan to link Don Mueang to U-Tapao in Rayong via Suvarnabhumi and  Pattaya. 

 

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Thailand still talking while in Laos the railway is finished and open to passengers this December !

They'll have control of their travel as well as their water soon !

I think it in the 90s that I first heard about this project. 

Talks continue and never stop

Must be a Belt & Rob project. 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Firstly the Thais reported that most of the civil engineering work had begun on the stretch from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima or Korat.

 

This is true... kind of... I know a coupe of British Civil Engineers who are working on the Project - planning phases at the moment. I’m not sure about physical work. 

1 hour ago, canopus1969 said:

Thailand still talking while in Laos the railway is finished and open to passengers this December !

You beat it to me. I think some news came out last week. I talked about it with my Thai friends and they just said "This is Thailand"

28 minutes ago, ICELANDMAN said:

Talks continue and never stop

They'll stop when the trough is empty

You will be able to catch a train to the darkside of the moon to combine the lunar project also ????

No doubt there are politicians and north eastern Thais noticing more and more well to do folks from Laos and want a piece of the action.   Hopefully they don't wait until skyscrapers start sprouting in Vientiane looking down on Nong Khai.   

Talking is the only thing they are any good at and i'm sure this whole project could do with a few more 'Committee's' and 'Panels' to mull the whole thing over whilst they eat and drink all the free food and booze they can get their gobs around when they're not talking !

2 hours ago, Snow Leopard said:

Must be a Belt & Rob project. 

 

Good one...

 

I have always thought it should be called the... The Road or the Belt projects.....

(Thai-Chinese high speed rail projects talks)

 

China: you will accept our belt & road 

 

Thailand ok khap ????

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Thirdly the Thai side proposed that a meeting be set up between the Thais, Laotians and Chinese to discuss the connection between Nong Khai and Vientiane. 

Since crossing the Mekong river at Nong Khai is fairly central to the project, I am surprised that it is only now being proposed for discussion.

 

Personally I reckon they will have to build a bridge!

6 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

Since crossing the Mekong river at Nong Khai is fairly central to the project, I am surprised that it is only now being proposed for discussion.

 

Personally I reckon they will have to build a bridge!

They are still years away from that part of the project being completed.  So no surprise they are still working out those details.

10 hours ago, webfact said:

The Thais wanted a Chinese advisor to check over the plans. 

because, you know, it's been a while since Thais worked on a high speed train. 

Who is going to lend the money for all this? Who is going to build it? Who will eventually through one clause or another actually own it?

South East Asia slowly selling its sole. 

Yes yes ! It is obviously high time the  good ole US of A stepped up to intervene with  a promise of funding loans and provision of expertise in assurance of a high speed rail link to connect Thailand to it's communist trading neighbors as a confirmation of dedication to protect the "free world". Maybe they  could clinch it with an immediate provision of a few hundred million covid-19 vaccine shots as a tempter?

High speed  rail in Merica is advancing at lightening speed isn't it?

32 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

Who is going to build it? Who will eventually through one clause or another actually own it?

South East Asia slowly selling its sole. 

I think we can guess already right? 

 

11 minutes ago, Nojohndoe said:

High speed  rail in Merica is advancing at lightening speed isn't it?

Well at least they run on separate tracks there.

 

"Extensive Report Blames Chinese Train Crash On Corruption And Substandard Equipment"

 https://www.businessinsider.com/details-chinese-rail-crash-2011-8?r=US&IR=T

Talk and talk and talk and talk.... Meanwhile, a new line opens in China.
 

 

3 hours ago, misterjames said:

I think we can guess already right? 

 

Well at least they run on separate tracks there.

 

"Extensive Report Blames Chinese Train Crash On Corruption And Substandard Equipment"

 https://www.businessinsider.com/details-chinese-rail-crash-2011-8?r=US&IR=T

 

I think you need to have more than two high speed rail "lines" before 'Murca can seriously compete in the accident category.   

4 hours ago, Rookiescot said:

Who is going to lend the money for all this? Who is going to build it? Who will eventually through one clause or another actually own it?

South East Asia slowly selling its sole. 

And who is going to use it?  Is there a great demand for Thais to go to Laos or China?

Chinese holidaymakers with only short holidays will probably reach Thailand faster and cheaper by plane.

30 minutes ago, greeneking said:

And who is going to use it?  Is there a great demand for Thais to go to Laos or China?

Chinese holidaymakers with only short holidays will probably reach Thailand faster and cheaper by plane.

Yea, obviously it will be a huge failure just like in China....oh wait.

14 hours ago, CLW said:

You beat it to me. I think some news came out last week. I talked about it with my Thai friends and they just said "This is Thailand"

I thought that was changed some time ago to the more accurate "This is Griftland".

6 hours ago, herfiehandbag said:

Since crossing the Mekong river at Nong Khai is fairly central to the project, I am surprised that it is only now being proposed for discussion.

 

Personally I reckon they will have to build a bridge!

Or a tunnel. 

1 hour ago, greeneking said:

And who is going to use it?  Is there a great demand for Thais to go to Laos or China?

Good point, I have never heard a Thai person say they want to go to either of those places. 

 

Why would they? Thailand is much nicer. It doesn't benefit the Thai's at all.

 

6 hours ago, herfiehandbag said:

Personally I reckon they will have to build a bridge!

They hardly need one Xi has all but turned the taps off with the dam already.

1 hour ago, shdmn said:

Yea, obviously it will be a huge failure just like in China....oh wait.

So having fast trains makes China a success? and having fast trains will make Thailand a success?

 

I don't understand the logic, just because they have fast trains they are a success? I hate to break it to you but Japan has been operating high speed rail since 1964.

 

By my calculations  that's more half a century behind.

 

China may have fast trains but they still claim foreign aid as a developing country, it has zero free speech / press freedom, has a corruption problem and are involved in terrible human rights abuses. 

 

Success? well, I suppose that depends on how you define success????

 

 

20 hours ago, canopus1969 said:

Thailand still talking while in Laos the railway is finished and open to passengers this December !

The hospitality business sector in my town of Luang Prabang has been devastated by Covid-19 lockdowns and lack of tourists, (there have only been a couple of virus cases in this region since Covid-19 first appeared).

 

Hopefully, the opening of the railway from Yunnan province to Luang Prabang will bring back much-needed tourist income to the town.  It would be great if Luang Prabang became a tourist 'bubble' for Yunnan >> you can visit if you've been vaccinated, travel here and back by train, no travel outside this province.

Thailand has enough trouble with Chinese who come in by air.  Numbers will rise greatly if these trains start.  This will benefit China, not Thailand.