China-Laos-Thailand high-speed railway to become backbone infrastructure in enhancing regional connectivity: Thai researcher

[webfact]

China Thailand Photo:VCG

 

By Global Times

 
China-Laos-Thailand high-speed railway is expected to play an important role in enhancing regional connectivity, further slashing transportation time and cost from the current level, a senior Thai researcher stated.

 

Although the project is still under construction, once completed it will become part of the backbone infrastructure for international trade between the two countries, especially for perishable goods such as agricultural produce and high value added items for which time saving and affordable transportation are critical factors to enhance trade and deepen supply chain integration, Nattaporn Triratanasirikul, deputy managing director of Bangkok-based Kasikorn Research Center (KResearch), told the Global Times over the weekend.

 

China and Thailand on Saturday agreed to build a more stable, prosperous and sustainable China-Thailand community with a shared future, which observers see as a crucial breakthrough that will further enhance already sound bilateral relations to a new, strategic height.

 

The China-Laos high-speed railway, opened to service in December 2021, has already benefited Thailand, according to Triratanasirikul. The railway has opened a new transportation route that will help cut land transportation costs by approximately 30 percent and save transportation time by roughly 50 percent, as estimated by KResearch.

 

Full story: https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202211/1280028.shtml

 

-- © Copyright Global Times 2022-11-22

 

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[bradiston]

But there isn't a China-Laos-Thailand high speed rail link. Just China-Laos. Where's the Thai section? A senior Thai researcher? Dream on.

[sammieuk1]

Why would you want any connection to China ????

[ChrisY1]

The stage BKK to Nahkon Nowhere is due for completion 2026....it should be 43% complete now.....nut it's only ~15% done

Don't expect wonderful results for the next 6-8 years!

[bradiston]

1 hour ago, sammieuk1 said:

Why would you want any connection to China ????

What a stupid question

[bangon04]

2 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

Why would you want any connection to China ????

 

[fvw53]

How many hours will be lost to do the passport and custom checks at the borders with communist countries like Laos and China ?

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

China-Laos-Thailand high-speed railway is expected to play an important role in enhancing regional connectivity, further slashing transportation time and cost from the current level, a senior Thai researcher stated

Just wait for the Thais to start crying over mass importation of cheap Chinese products..

including meat/vegetables and fruit when this line opens up.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

Why would you want any connection to China ????

Secretly Thailand is back tracking on this and dragging it's feet as much as possible.

What at first seemed like a good idea they suddenly realised that it would bring in competition from China, cheap goods and food.

Thailand doesn't want competition.

[Burma Bill]

6 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

The stage BKK to Nahkon Nowhere is due for completion 2026....it should be 43% complete now.....nut it's only ~15% done

With the greatest respect, for reference:-

 

"Thailand will complete the 609-kilometer line from the capital, Bangkok, to the Lao border at Nong Khai, now only 5% built, by 2028."

 

 https://www.voanews.com/a/thailand-sets-2028-target-to-finish-high-speed-rail-link-with-china/6662154.html

[champers]

How will they resolve the problem of different gague lines in Thailand to those in Laos and China? Does anybody know?

[DaLa]

17 minutes ago, champers said:

How will they resolve the problem of different gague lines in Thailand to those in Laos and China? Does anybody know?

Same as when they were planning changing driving on the left to driving on the right in Ireland back in the 70's.  Gradually over a period of a few months.

[NoDisplayName]

36 minutes ago, champers said:

How will they resolve the problem of different gague lines in Thailand to those in Laos and China? Does anybody know?

This is not a problem.

The high-speed rail is a separate system from the standard railway, and will be built as an extension to the Kunming to Vientiane line.

[NoDisplayName]

4 hours ago, fvw53 said:

How many hours will be lost to do the passport and custom checks at the borders with communist countries like Laos and China ?

I would not blame communism for slowdowns at the borders.  Chinese immigration is very fast and efficient, with no "tea-money" demands.  Laos is another world in that regard, but the Chinese will be enforcing the rules on the railway.

[ourmanflint]

Yes come 2050 when the line is opened it will indeed increase opportunity in the economy

[trainman34014]

Been hearing how good it's going to be since 2000 but i'll most likely be ashes before it's complete.    Still waiting for the Bangkok-Chiang Mai section that Yingluck bought the Lunch Boxes for and was going to be 'open' in 2016; Jokers, Chest Beaters and Flag Wavers the lot of them !

[Burma Bill]

11 minutes ago, trainman34014 said:

Still waiting for the Bangkok-Chiang Mai section

Recently, whilst on a short holiday from Cambodia, I travelled by train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai (being a rail enthusiast) and was amazed. There were massive infrastructure projects along the metre (narrow) gauge route, especially in Central Thailand between Lop Buri and Nakon Sawan where double track was being laid, also with new bridges, new stations and new signals alongside the old.  There is no doubt the service on this route will be faster when completed, eliminating single line working, but this is not high speed rail as some people think. That is a completely different project.

[sandyf]

3 hours ago, Burma Bill said:

With the greatest respect, for reference:-

 

"Thailand will complete the 609-kilometer line from the capital, Bangkok, to the Lao border at Nong Khai, now only 5% built, by 2028."

 

 https://www.voanews.com/a/thailand-sets-2028-target-to-finish-high-speed-rail-link-with-china/6662154.html

[sandyf]

10 hours ago, bradiston said:

But there isn't a China-Laos-Thailand high speed rail link. Just China-Laos. Where's the Thai section? A senior Thai researcher? Dream on.

The project is Kumming to Singapore, Thailand is only one section.

[Lucky Bones]

Reckon that "Beam me Up Scottie" thingamajig is better value.????????

[Gweiloman]

6 hours ago, fvw53 said:

How many hours will be lost to do the passport and custom checks at the borders with communist countries like Laos and China ?

A lot less than is currently being lost at US and UK immigration control. These countries can take hours to clear. In China, it only takes me minutes.

[Gweiloman]

10 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

Why would you want any connection to China ????

Trade, something that Asians excel at. Tons of perishable items from Malaysia, Thailand are being exported to China via sea. This rail link will cut transportation times by half. The BRI is a godsend to Asean countries and will speed up its development significantly. That’s why most of Asean is pivoting to China.

[bradiston]

23 minutes ago, sandyf said:

The project is Kumming to Singapore, Thailand is only one section.

That's what I was getting at. Where is the Thai section? There was once a project to connect Myanmar to Vietnam by road, rail and ship. What happened? The road more or less ends at the Cambodian border. The rail link is years away, and though they have deep water ports at Map Ta Put and maybe Klong Yai, Sihanoukville etc, the link hasn't materialised. ASEAN not really taking it forward despite endless meetings boasting BCG, cooperation, etc etc. Yes, bio, circular, green seems to just lead you to BWYS -  back where you started.

[NoDisplayName]

3 hours ago, Burma Bill said:

With the greatest respect, for reference:-

 

"Thailand will complete the 609-kilometer line from the capital, Bangkok, to the Lao border at Nong Khai, now only 5% built, by 2028."

 

 https://www.voanews.com/a/thailand-sets-2028-target-to-finish-high-speed-rail-link-with-china/6662154.html

But what exactly does a reporter mean by "5% built"?

 

Is that 5% of the total project, however total is defined, or is it 5% of the proposed system is completed and in operation, leaving 95% in various stages of completion?

[bradiston]

6 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Secretly Thailand is back tracking on this and dragging it's feet as much as possible.

What at first seemed like a good idea they suddenly realised that it would bring in competition from China, cheap goods and food.

Thailand doesn't want competition.

Trade is trade. It works both ways. I see the China haters are still around. Gone quiet now on "the Chinese virus", haven't they? So the fall back is Chinese goods. Ever been there? Ever seen the extraordinary infracture, the bridges, roads, they built. It's mind blowing.

[Gweiloman]

16 minutes ago, bradiston said:

That's what I was getting at. Where is the Thai section? There was once a project to connect Myanmar to Vietnam by road, rail and ship. What happened? The road more or less ends at the Cambodian border. The rail link is years away, and though they have deep water ports at Map Ta Put and maybe Klong Yai, Sihanoukville etc, the link hasn't materialised. ASEAN not really taking it forward despite endless meetings boasting BCG, cooperation, etc etc. Yes, bio, circular, green seems to just lead you to BWYS -  back where you started.

I think the pandemic set things back. 
 

Indonesia showcased the Jkt - Bandung line during the recent G20 summit. What an embarrassment that must have been for some of the nations there.

 

Any Asean countries that want to grow and develop really has no choice but to embrace the BRI. The debt trap myth has been well and truly debunked so that isn’t as issue anymore.

[Burma Bill]

1 hour ago, NoDisplayName said:

But what exactly does a reporter mean by "5% built"?

 

This 5% relates to what has already been constructed but not in operation. I believe there are developments at Bang Sue Station in Bangkok and in Korat..

For reference:-   (Wikipedia) 

Although Thailand has no operational high-speed rail lines, the country has a plan for a large high speed rail network connecting its major cities. The first line of the network is under construction from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima,

[NoDisplayName]

1 minute ago, Burma Bill said:

This 5% relates to what has already been constructed but not in operation. I believe there are developments at Bang Sue Station in Bangkok and in Korat..

Got it.  So far, 5%  (of the track length?) is built but not yet in operation.  The reporter gave no indication of the completion status of the remaining 95% (of track length?)  The remainder could be 95% complete, or 50% complete, or still in the planning stage.

[hotchilli]

10 hours ago, bradiston said:

Trade is trade. It works both ways. I see the China haters are still around. Gone quiet now on "the Chinese virus", haven't they? So the fall back is Chinese goods. Ever been there? Ever seen the extraordinary infracture, the bridges, roads, they built. It's mind blowing.

I've seen what China has done inside Cambodia and Laos..

And it is coming to Thailand.

[josephbloggs]

12 hours ago, NoDisplayName said:

Got it.  So far, 5%  (of the track length?) is built but not yet in operation.  The reporter gave no indication of the completion status of the remaining 95% (of track length?)  The remainder could be 95% complete, or 50% complete, or still in the planning stage.

Imagine 0% means nothing has been built, and 100% means it is finished, then try and imagine what 5% means.