Government Plans For New High Speed Trains

[thailandlover]

I read that the goverment is talking about new high speed trains. Which region would be better served by being the first to get it?

The North is a very popular tourist destination, as is the South, and so, given the expense, one of these might be better. Or given the growth of the Eastern Seaboard beyond just Pattaya, perhaps the East.. Isaan certainly has the highest number of people travelling back and forth from bangkok, but I wonder if they have enough disposable income for what is sure to be more expensive than regular trains? I

[Jingthing]

East of course. That's where the volume will be.

[scorecard]

East of course. That's where the volume will be.

The easiest route to get past vested powerful interests might also be a criteria for selection, so that a first route does get implemented and start the ball rolling.

When the BTS was first mooted, the first draft of routes included a BTS line all the way to Pattaya with a final station in the centre of town. This line got killed very quickly by powerful bus operators.

[WAERTH]

East is more than Pattaya alone. There are many rapidly growing towns in the area where people earn a middle class income. Also there is a high concentration of expats in the area that work in the many industrial estates.

Pattaya would be a big draw when connected to a high speed line. But there would be many many more places that would benefit from such a line like rayong and the many estates there.

W

I voted east btw!

[arkom]

Lets get the Airport Express up and running this year first, then we can start talking about high speed trains!

[Kan Win]

I voted East as it is the shortest line. Once up and running they can sort out all the problems before the next line is built.

Sawadee

P.S. Just to add that there is a railway line running next to the Airport Express line on ground level.

[eurasianthai]

I would really love them to build tracks and have high speed trains going to Mukdahan.

Where we have the bridge to Laos and Vietnam.

So it is Isaan for me.

North-East.

[paulandmaneerat]

Bangkok to south for us please. Shinkansen service, overground just like Taiwan and Japan.

P&M

[elcent]

start counting down from 30 until that happens, one per year

30 - see you next year here

[eurasianthai]

Another picture of the bridge in Mukdahan.

This is sure the way the government should go, a high speed train to Mukdahan, Laos and Vietnam.

And from there China.

[eurasianthai]

And I actually think it will happen sooner or later.

Thailand has the longest bridge in the world, the highway going to Pattaya.

Far more expensive than any high speed train tracks going to Mukdahan.

[jackr]

Would you really want to be going about a third the speed of a plane overland in Thailand?

[FM505]

East of course. That's where the volume will be.

Yes. Most likely in the short(er) term for construction and operation, but I see South as having merit as well. S'pore and KL are the only cities outside of Bkk that are well established and economically stable in SEA. Connecting to Malaysia would spur important jobs and more favorable public relations - particularly in that region. Also, a rapid jaunt to Hua Hin would get my business.

[eugene1976]

how fast would this high speed train be?

open the airport link and the bts extension first!!!

[bangon04]

Let's not be tooooo ambitious.. Try Bangkok to Korat. You can't fly there, can you?

[Naam]

Lets get the Airport Express up and running this year first, then we can start talking about high speed trains!

even better if we'd discuss high speed trains after our next reincarnation