Thailand and Japan to Start First Phase of Bangkok - Chiang Mai Rail Project

[webfact]

 

by Krajangwit Johjit

BANGKOK (NNT) - Thailand and Japan are set to embark on the first phase of a high-speed rail project linking Bangkok and Chiang Mai province.

 

Officials from the Department of Rail Transport (DRT), the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning, the Public Health Management Office, the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council, and the State Railway of Thailand attended a recent technical meeting to review a feasibility study focusing on the economy and finance of the project.

 

Japanese agencies, including the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and the Japanese embassy, were also in attendance.

 

The 688-kilometer rail line, which features 12 stations, will be divided into two phases, with the first phase covering over 380 km from Bangkok to Phitsanulok, and the second phase covering a further 288 km from Phitsanulok to Chiang Mai.

 

DRT Director-General Pichet Kunadhamraks said the meeting was a follow-up to the first gathering held on December 14, 2022, in which participants further reviewed the feasibility of the project.

 

Pichet stated that the high-speed rail project is a significant initiative that could provide economic benefits to Thailand, strengthen bilateral relations, and pave the way for more successful projects in the future.

 

The JICA has been conducting a feasibility study on the project since 2017 to find ways of improving its effectiveness, reducing the budget, and ensuring that the construction is completed in a timely manner.

 

Source: https://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/detail/TCATG230309105329482

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2023-03-09

 

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[edwinchester]

28 minutes ago, webfact said:

"The JICA has been conducting a feasibility study on the project since 2017...."

Only another 20 years before we can actually get on a high speed train then.....if the project ever gets started.

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, edwinchester said:

Only another 20 years before we can actually get on a high speed train then.....if the project ever gets started.

Last eight years wasted with virtually nothing done.

[Burma Bill]

Great to see the Japanese being involved and not the Chinese with their belts and roads!!

[bangon04]

4 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

Great to see the Japanese being involved and not the Chinese with their belts and roads!!

not built yet....... there is still plenty of "negotiation" available.

[bangon04]

I hope the new trains will have oxygen masks available and aviation style HEPA filters by the time they are in service.....

[ourmanflint]

I wonder why they have changed the route to go via Sukhothtai instead of Uttaradit? Those lines are currently undergoing dual track upgrades so what is the point of that if the high speed is not using them?

[PETERTHEEATER]

3 hours ago, edwinchester said:

Only another 20 years before we can actually get on a high speed train then.....if the project ever gets started.

The suction from the high speed train is intended to draw polluted air from Bangkok northwards to Chieng Mai to share with the impoverished residents of that city.

[bangon04]

2 hours ago, ourmanflint said:

I wonder why they have changed the route to go via Sukhothtai instead of Uttaradit? Those lines are currently undergoing dual track upgrades so what is the point of that if the high speed is not using them?

TAT wants more tourists in Sukhothai to look at the ruined temples.....

[kickstart]

In the UK the high speed train or HS2,is well behind time, phase one was due to finish in 2026, now2029-33, second phase due2032-33 now due 2035-40.

Budget was 55 billon GBP now 72-98 billon GBP.

Let's hope the Thai one will be a bit better managed.

[trainman34014]

'High Speed' ?    With 12 Station stops it will never be High Speed but they don't even begin to understand the concept.

 

Anyway; Yingluck already bought the Lunchboxes but i wonder where thay all ended up ?

[Yorkshire Tea]

1 hour ago, kickstart said:

In the UK the high speed train or HS2,is well behind time, phase one was due to finish in 2026, now2029-33, second phase due2032-33 now due 2035-40.

Budget was 55 billon GBP now 72-98 billon GBP.

Let's hope the Thai one will be a bit better managed.

Complete waste of money!

[Burma Bill]

7 hours ago, ourmanflint said:

changed the route to go via Sukhothtai instead of Uttaradit?

Yes - very interesting. Having driven many times from Phitsanulok to Chiang Mai via Sukhothai and Tak, also via Uttaradit and Den Chai, I think the answer could be geography. The route via Sukhothai is relatively flat whereas the existing route via Den Chai is mountainous beyond Uttaradit.

[Deserted]

I'll be dead by the time they finish that.

[newnative]

As always, talk, talk, talk.  Just talk, talk, talk.  Nothing ever done, done, done.

[josephbloggs]

12 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

'High Speed' ?    With 12 Station stops it will never be High Speed but they don't even begin to understand the concept.

Why do you think every train will stop at every station? It makes perfect sense to have stations along the way just like in any other country with high speed rail - it doesn't mean every train will stop at every one.

Edited March 10, 2023 by josephbloggs

[thaibeachlovers]

22 hours ago, ourmanflint said:

I wonder why they have changed the route to go via Sukhothtai instead of Uttaradit? Those lines are currently undergoing dual track upgrades so what is the point of that if the high speed is not using them?

Actual high speed rail is apparently elevated as it's not a good idea having them at ground level.

 

IMO, there is no need for a real high speed rail as double tracked would probably give a better cost benefit. High speed only carries passengers, so would it be providing seats at the same meager price, or will it be too expensive for the average rail user to pay?

[thaibeachlovers]

22 hours ago, ourmanflint said:

I wonder why they have changed the route to go via Sukhothtai instead of Uttaradit? Those lines are currently undergoing dual track upgrades so what is the point of that if the high speed is not using them?

Perhaps because the most people that will want to pay for a ticket will be tourists ( I doubt any current 3rd class passengers will be traveling on it ). Not much in Uttaradit to attract tourists.

 

I wouldn't go on it either as I enjoyed the night train journey in second class sleeper.

[SmokeandIce]

22 hours ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

The suction from the high speed train is intended to draw polluted air from Bangkok northwards to Chieng Mai to share with the impoverished residents of that city.

Chiang Mai doesn't need to import Bangkok pollution; the fires prroduce deadly smog just fine and locally made.

[sammieuk1]

Its one way of putting a pickup truck on the moon ????

[josephbloggs]

3 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

Its one way of putting a pickup truck on the moon ????

Guaranteed at least one person will make a comment of this kind in any high speed rail thread. Yawn.

[JackGats]

Price of a train ticket from BKK to Chiang Mai :  

 

Thais 200 Baht 

Foreigners 2000 Baht.

[StayinThailand2much]

On 3/9/2023 at 2:54 PM, Burma Bill said:

Great to see the Japanese being involved and not the Chinese with their belts and roads!!

China, no doubt, will benefit from it. And they don't even have to invest or loan a penny...

Edited March 10, 2023 by StayinThailand2much

[StayinThailand2much]

1 hour ago, JackGats said:

Price of a train ticket from BKK to Chiang Mai :  

 

Thais 200 Baht 

Foreigners 2000 Baht.

Including Japanese citizens...

[transam]

On 3/9/2023 at 2:32 PM, ourmanflint said:

I wonder why they have changed the route to go via Sukhothtai instead of Uttaradit? Those lines are currently undergoing dual track upgrades so what is the point of that if the high speed is not using them?

The high speed...........

[sammieuk1]

2 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

Guaranteed at least one person will make a comment of this kind in any high speed rail thread. Yawn.

And only one like this zzz????

[pedro01]

Will they be using British labor like last time?

[nigelforbes]

Bangkok to Chiang Mai rail, the first part of the journey will need to be via a high speed submarine in a few years when Bangkok is uuderwater.

[Burma Bill]

48 minutes ago, pedro01 said:

Will they be using British labor like last time?

With the greatest respect, the early Thai railways were eventually built by the Germans. Reference Google and Wikipedia:

 

In November 1888 the railway engineer de:Karl Bethge (from Krupp) came to Siam and were given these plans by the Siamese government for his assessment. It was agreed to build a route from Bangkok to Saraburi to Korat (Nakhon Ratchasima).

For the full history:-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_transport_in_Thailand

 

Yes, the British were involved in many early discussions but nothing was built, except the start of the Bangkok - Korat Line. However, the Brits were "sacked" for not keeping to contractual agreements and the Germans took over. Another line from Bangkok to Samut Prakan was constructed by Denmark and in 1925 this became only the second electrified railway in South East Asia. (now defunct).  The British built the early railways in India, Ceylon, Burma and Malaya (as known in those days) whilst the French did likewise in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. During the Second World War the Japanese also built railways in Thailand (including the infamous Death Railway).