Thailand's Transport Ministry is still aiming to open the Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima high-speed railway in 2030, despite construction running 34.5 percentage points behind schedule.

The 250.77-kilometre first phase of the Thai-Chinese high-speed rail project has reached 56% completion, against planned cumulative progress of 90.5%, according to Kampol Boonchom, chief engineer for special projects and construction at the State Railway of Thailand (SRT).

The route is split into 14 civil works contracts. Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat said the ministry believed work could be accelerated enough to meet the 2030 target, with the line intended to improve both passenger journeys and freight transport.

Shared airport rail section awaits decision

Several contracts have yet to begin, including Contract 4-1 for the Bang Sue-Don Mueang section. This includes structures shared with the proposed three-airport high-speed railway linking Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi and U-Tapao airports.

Siripong said officials expected a decision on the way forward by the end of 2026. "We have to see how the EEC committee responds to the proposed amendment to the public-private partnership agreement and how the three-airport project will proceed," he said.

The SRT could re-tender the shared structure under Contract 4-1 and build it independently, in an effort to avoid further disruption to the Thai-Chinese project. Siripong said building it first would support both the Thai-Chinese route and a high-speed connection between Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi.

Siripong inspected Contract 4-7, covering the Saraburi-Kaeng Khoi section and Saraburi Station, alongside Saraburi Governor Bancha Chaowarin and Department of Rail Transport director-general Pichet Kunadhamraks. Kampol, SRT executives and agency representatives briefed the delegation on progress.

Saraburi work also behind plan

Contract 4-7 covers 12.99 kilometres between Saraburi and Kaeng Khoi. It is 73.25% complete, compared with scheduled cumulative progress of 81.50%, leaving it 8.25 percentage points behind plan.

Installation of segments is 86% complete, while balance-beam construction stands at 33% and switch-beam work at 68%.

Saraburi high-speed rail station, in Takut subdistrict of Mueang Saraburi district, will be an elevated four-level facility. The first level will contain entrances and long-distance train platforms; the second will have ticketing for high-speed and long-distance services; the third will be a waiting area; and high-speed platforms will be on the fourth level.

The station will have two 450-metre platforms and four tracks. Its construction has reached 29%, against planned progress of 47%, a shortfall of 18 percentage points.

Safety priority near live rail lines

Siripong instructed the SRT to prioritise safety, especially at sites near operating railways and public routes. He called for strict precautions to prevent accidents and reduce impacts on nearby communities.

The SRT was also told to closely monitor tunnel areas, conduct safety inspections, and prepare preventive and emergency-response plans. The authority said it would continue to accelerate work while meeting required standards for future services at Saraburi Station.

Picture courtesy of The Nation

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24 August 2026

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For the record, the Thai–Chinese HSR Phase 1 (Bangkok–Nakhon Ratchasima, 250.77 km) was originally announced with:

2017 – Contract signing and start of civil works

2021 – Target for major civil‑works completion

2022 – Systems installation (track, signalling, power)

2023–2024 – Testing and commissioning

2025 – Opening target (this was the first public “operational” date)

That 2025 target was later revised to 2027, then quietly stretched to 2028, and finally re‑packaged as “2030”, the date they are now insisting they can still meet despite being 34.5 percentage points behind schedule.

This is why the line about “accelerating work” is simply laughable. You don’t accelerate a project that has already slipped five years from its first published operational target.

Then again, there's Rama 2 - the “never‑ending project” and running joke for anything in Thailand that’s permanently under construction and permanently “accelerating”!

6 minutes ago, Jim Waldron said:

For the record, the Thai–Chinese HSR Phase 1 (Bangkok–Nakhon Ratchasima, 250.77 km) was originally announced with:

2017 – Contract signing and start of civil works

2021 – Target for major civil‑works completion

2022 – Systems installation (track, signalling, power)

2023–2024 – Testing and commissioning

2025 – Opening target (this was the first public “operational” date)

That 2025 target was later revised to 2027, then quietly stretched to 2028, and finally re‑packaged as “2030”, the date they are now insisting they can still meet despite being 34.5 percentage points behind schedule.

This is why the line about “accelerating work” is simply laughable. You don’t accelerate a project that has already slipped five years from its first published operational target.

Then again, there's Rama 2 - the “never‑ending project” and running joke for anything in Thailand that’s permanently under construction and permanently “accelerating”!

The fact is it's being built, albeit very slowly, without China taking over the project and financing it. Given how incredible the Chinese are are building infrastructure - especially high speed rail where they are the world leader - I would have been happy for them to hand it over to China to build. But I respect them for not.

And if you want a mess look no further than HS2, perhaps the biggest civil engineering mess ever. Signed off in 2010. Originally London - Birmingham was to be finished by 2026 and a budget of £17-20b. Budget is now up over £100b and it won't be operational until possible 2040 (they've now given up announcing dates).

And the rest of it was scrapped, so £100b and almost 30 years and it'll mean you can go from London to Birmingham in 50 minutes instead of 1hr 20 minutes. Whoop. An absolute national embarrassment. Thailand is going at light speed in comparison.