China Will Invest In Thai High-Speed Train, Better Rail Links

[sabaijai]

China Will Invest In Thai High-Speed Train, Better Rail Links

BANGKOK, July 29 (Bernama) -- China has agreed to invest in Thailand's first high-speed railway and provide funding to the development of the Thai rail link system, Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban told the Cabinet on Wednesday, Thai News Agency (TNA) reported.

The minister who visited China from July 16-23, said the negotiations between the two countries included development of rails at the Thai-Lao border of Thailand's Nong Khai province to Laos and to China.

The line is expected to also link to Sungai Kolok in Thailand's southern province of Narathiwat to Malaysia and will upgrade the quality of Thai rail links so that in future it could link via the north to Europe and in the south to Singapore, TNA reported.

The project will be built as a standard-gauge rail link and is expected to cover transport in all countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean).

Concerning the high-speed train, the deputy premier said China will cooperate with Thailand to build the country's first high-speed rail line from Bangkok to the eastern province of Rayong, which will also connect to Laos.

He said Thailand will be responsible for procuring land, while China will provide investment, technology and management.

The rail line would extend 240 kilometres from Bangkok's downtown Makkasan area to Rayong on the Eastern Seaboard. The travel time is expected at approximately one hour from an original three-hour drive.

Suthep said that Chinese technology for high-speed trains is highly advanced.

He said he rode a Chinese train from Beijing to Tian Xing which took only 29 minutes for over 200 kilometres. The train runs at 338km/hr and Suthep said it was the "best quality" compared to railways he had travelled on in other countries.

He suggested that a Thai committee be set up to discuss the matter in detail with China, adding that there might be an agreement when Thai prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva visits China in the near future.

China also said it would promote Thailand as a tourist destination among Chinese. It will also consider buying more rice from Thailand, and noted that the rail link development will provide convenience for people in the region to travel and enhance a better logistics and transport system.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister Sophon Sarum said the ministry plans to expand the country's existing rail links, but the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) will have to research the issue and there might be an adjustment of the standard gauge rail link system to ensure that it can link to the rail system of Thailand's neighbouring countries.

Sophon said the joint venture between Thailand and China did not affect the government budget of Bt170 billion previously approved by the Cabinet to improve the Thai rail system, as the cooperation is a project offered by Chinese authorities to improve all Thai rail links from Nong Khai to China, and Nong Khai to Sungai Kolok.

-- BERNAMA

Source: http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsworld.php?id=517429

[elibangkok]

"He said he rode a Chinese train from Beijing to Tian Xing which took only 29 minutes for over 200 kilometres. The train runs at 338km/hr"

There is something wrong with the math in that sentence. 200km in 29 minutes means it would be over 400km/hr, right?

[bangkokrick]

"He said he rode a Chinese train from Beijing to Tian Xing which took only 29 minutes for over 200 kilometres. The train runs at 338km/hr"

There is something wrong with the math in that sentence. 200km in 29 minutes means it would be over 400km/hr, right?

The maths is wrong, but I travelled on the high speed trains in China last month and the speeds vary according to the distance and the time of day. The trains have the capability of 340km/hr, but my ride on a 15 minute journey 'maxed ou't at 320 km/hr. The trains are very high tech and very comfortable, so good to here that Thailand might get involved.

The Chinese have just sold 20 complete trains to Argentina and the deal is being financed by the Chinese banks.

By the way the 'Maglev' trains from the airport to downtown Shanghai travel at 430 kms/hr and this is a fantastic experience. This service will also be extended through China.

Cheers, Rick

[dangman]

great news

i know there will be the ubiquitous sarcastic and cynical posts to come..

but this a very positive move by thailand in my opinion.

[draftvader]

Anybody else feeling dread at the concept of the following?

Thailand + Railways + over 338km/h (I agree with the maths problem, but let's just work with this number)

That said, as I think that trains are the best form of transport, I am hoping I am alive long enough to enjoy an unfettered journey from Singapore to John O' Groats.....and potentially (if the Russian/Chinese high speed network develops) in under 7 days.

[ding]

"He said he rode a Chinese train from Beijing to Tian Xing which took only 29 minutes for over 200 kilometres. The train runs at 338km/hr"

There is something wrong with the math in that sentence. 200km in 29 minutes means it would be over 400km/hr, right?

I always wonder about rate and duration of acceleration and deceleration in those problems.

[Wozzit]

By the way the 'Maglev' trains from the airport to downtown Shanghai travel at 430 kms/hr and this is a fantastic experience. This service will also be extended through China.

I have taken it several times. It's great.

[simon43]

to build the country's first high-speed rail line from Bangkok to the eastern province of Rayong, which will also connect to Laos

Yawn.... so only need to build another 500km or so to link Rayong to Laos...

I assume they mean Cambodia, but I can't imagine why they would want to link Rayong to Cambodia by train, unless they intend to invade the country

Simon

[Hawk]

I assume they mean Cambodia, but I can't imagine why they would want to link Rayong to Cambodia by train, unless they intend to invade the country

Simon

It's for a quick getaway when the Cambodians start shooting.

[otherstuff1957]

I imagine that this story is up to the usual high standards that we've come to expect from Thai journalists. The link to Rayong, will probably pass through Pattaya and end at Maptoput, which is the route followed by the current rail tracks. The rail to Laos will probably follow the Nong Khai route, unless it goes to Suwannakhet instead.

Edited August 1, 2010 by otherstuff1957

[MaxRobespierre]

Wages are now too high in China - The dragon is looking to Tai Guo for cheap labor to exploit ruthlessly - and a nice little choo choo to haul the surplus profits back to Asia's true kingdom - the middle one.

[bendejo]

Malaysia recently announced they were going to upgrade the rail link to Sungai Kolok.

So, it looks like it is in China's interest to ensure a good rail connection from Laos to Singapore.

They should call it the Domino Line

[callao]

isn't thai railways narrow guage (1 meter) and the new improved rail will be standard guage (5.2ft) Does that mean thailand will have to change to standard guage for international route to China, the tracks acroos to Laos are thai guage

[Chonburiram]

great news

i know there will be the ubiquitous sarcastic and cynical posts to come..

but this a very positive move by thailand in my opinion.

Yeah, very positive...

Contracts were signed and an exact timeframe was given out.

I think this could happen after Thailand " allows " China to occupy them...

Death-Railway anyone?

[jayjay0]

Anybody else feeling dread at the concept of the following?

Thailand + Railways + over 338km/h (I agree with the maths problem, but let's just work with this number)

That said, as I think that trains are the best form of transport, I am hoping I am alive long enough to enjoy an unfettered journey from Singapore to John O' Groats.....and potentially (if the Russian/Chinese high speed network develops) in under 7 days.

That makes two of us.

[mazeltov]

Anybody else feeling dread at the concept of the following?

Thailand + Railways + over 338km/h (I agree with the maths problem, but let's just work with this number)

That said, as I think that trains are the best form of transport, I am hoping I am alive long enough to enjoy an unfettered journey from Singapore to John O' Groats.....and potentially (if the Russian/Chinese high speed network develops) in under 7 days.

That makes two of us.

sounds like an old colonialist dream.

[londonthai]

strange, that the press conference was on Wednesday, and only today news came through some malesian agency.

about the rail project from bangkok to London was in March

[tw25rw]

The Chinese high speed network is being built to a strict schedule using unskilled peasant labour. Just a matter of time before there's a disaster.

[LaoPo]

The Chinese high speed network is being built to a strict schedule using unskilled peasant labour. Just a matter of time before there's a disaster.

Train accidents happen all the time, world wide, and in China too. It's not the unskilled workers to be blamed but the engineering or human errors, causing the accidents.

China ranks #3 in the world with their rail network, after the USA and India and next to India carrying most passenger numbers in the world

World wide rail accidents.

http://en.wikipedia....E2%80%932009%29

High-speed rail in China:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-speed_rail_in_China

There's probably no other country in the world with such a large network of high speed railways.

LaoPo

Edited August 1, 2010 by LaoPo

[jaideeguy]

It's good news for those living/commuting on the proposed route, but us up here in CM will be bypassed and left to rot on our super slow ancient 2nd hand Korean trains and our aging tracks will be forgotten.

[dumball]

The slow but sure insidious infiltration into many countries of the world by the massive Chinese Empire from the mighty US of A down to impoverished Cambodia .

It would be a smart thought to start learning Mandarin , already touted as the most spoken language of the worlds population , but not yet as widely utilised , Methinks there are plans to become the world centre of power , they have already outpaced American auto manufacturers and lead the world in solar tech . They are spreading thier tentacles in a slow but peacefull manner , they need multiple resources to power thier huge labour reserves until the day arrives_________?????????????

[nong38]

The railway talked about in China is a Maglev line, where the train levitates above a track , its a conventional train until about 125mph then it goes in maglev mode. Maglev is short for magnetic levitation it works by taking a standard electric motor in the round and unfurling it, by putting a charge through it it levitates. The track is made up of lots of magnets and by switching the current on and off rapidly the train is drawn along the track, no friction, amazing acceleration/decelaration. Britain played with these in the 1960's with a test track in the fens, the original machine is at Railworld in Paterborough.

This is not what is planned to biult in Thailand, it is to be a conventional rail track at 4'8 1/2" guage rather than 1 metre, providing it is built right and maintained right it is good for the Kingdom.

I heard there were going to be 4 stops, Chonburi City, Pattaya I guess any more it is not going to be done in 1 hour and Thais are going to have to learn to get and on off quick or the timetable wont work. The Eurostar have worked this out well, so people get off on one part of the platform, whilst new passengers get on at another part of the platform.

[RickBradford]

its a conventional train until about 125mph then it goes in maglev mode.

The Transrapid technology used on the Shanghai line does not require wheels at all as it is based on EMS (electromagnetic suspension). Other systems which use EDS (electrodynamic suspension) roll on wheels until about 30kph.

Having travelled on this train, I can assure you it is in maglev mode a lot earlier than 200kph......

Edited August 2, 2010 by RickBradford

[Daewoo]

My only question is why this annoncement... there has long been a plan to connect Singapore to Shanghai by rail... I worked in Malaysia on the Rawang to Ipoh section, and at the same time, the next section was at pre-design phase.. I guess a second line to Pattaya and the South-East isn't part of the grand plan, and I don't honestly see how it will ever be ecconomically viable... This is where my scepticism gland comes in... How much debt will China give to Thailand on terms no other country would??? For how long, will Thailand sell their revenue to China, on terms no western government would accept???

I work for a Chinese company, they are absolutely hopeless except for one thing... their technology is best in class, and their price can only be beaten by their Chinese competitor (OK, two things)...

Like the Japanese before them, the government is investing heavily in building thier countries ecconomy, while all Western governments (and I include Australia), maintain a 3 year focus at best...

In my lifetime, Asia will be the Global Superpower, and China will be the leader... and Western governments, will wonder what hit them...

In the mean time, hopefully some good projects and expat packages coming up in Thailand

Cheers,

Daewoo

Edited August 2, 2010 by Daewoo

[bendejo]

There's a lot about China and railroads as of late. Maybe somebody there has been talking to Warren Buffet.

article

[Humphrey Bear]

My only question is why this annoncement... there has long been a plan to connect Singapore to Shanghai by rail... I worked in Malaysia on the Rawang to Ipoh section, and at the same time, the next section was at pre-design phase.. I guess a second line to Pattaya and the South-East isn't part of the grand plan, and I don't honestly see how it will ever be ecconomically viable... This is where my scepticism gland comes in... How much debt will China give to Thailand on terms no other country would??? For how long, will Thailand sell their revenue to China, on terms no western government would accept???

I work for a Chinese company, they are absolutely hopeless except for one thing... their technology is best in class, and their price can only be beaten by their Chinese competitor (OK, two things)...

Like the Japanese before them, the government is investing heavily in building thier countries ecconomy, while all Western governments (and I include Australia), maintain a 3 year focus at best...

In my lifetime, Asia will be the Global Superpower, and China will be the leader... and Western governments, will wonder what hit them...

In the mean time, hopefully some good projects and expat packages coming up in Thailand

Cheers,

Daewoo

Unfortunately I have to deal with Chinese companies in Vietnam.

VN is developing quickly, maybe too quickly. Therefore it requires a lot of energy, and the Chinese are prepared to supply it.

While in China the smaller power stations have outlived their usefulness and have been replaced by much larger plants, there is still a good amount of life left in the 35-100MW plants and these are being sold to VN at low cost.

But with conditions - such as Chinese contractors building the power plants in VN. And whereas the Viets have a good idea of the performance they want to specify, and they are aware of what can and cannot be done, the Chinese contractors come in and build as they want, ignoring the VN specifications and any normal international standards. What could have been a good deal for VN is turning into a series of junk-piles, as the Chinese put together a lot of the worst constructed construction sites it has ever been my misfortune to witness.

And when - as frequently happens now - the Viet government refuses to pay for the shit that has been provided, the Chinese contractors walk off and leave a half-finished power plant.

If the project is sponsored by a Chinese loan (as many are) then the Chinese contractors will be paid and the VN government will be left with the debt and no operable power plant.

Everyone should be careful about dealing with China, the hidden perils are unbelievable in many instances.

[Payboy]

They should call it the Domino Line

No, let's call it Hopewell. Is that name already taken?

[Wozzit]

The Chinese high speed network is being built to a strict schedule using unskilled peasant labour. Just a matter of time before there's a disaster.

Yet another biased opinion. China can put men in space, build and operate nuclear power plants (in conjunction with the French) - there's been one only about 30 kilometers from Kong Kong in Daya Bay for more than 15 years - and modernise their cities in a fraction of time it took the west. Just look at Shanghai today and compare it with 20 years ago! It's more exciting now than Hong Kong.

The fact is that China has its sights set not years ahead, but decades ahead. It will be the world's next superpower, no question!

[chaoyang]

The most daunting part of this story is building a high-speed rail line -- or any rail line -- through Laos. Incredibly mountainous country. Would be great for Laos and I'd love to ride it.

[BSJ]

On the positive side, it would be great for travellers to have a high speed train to take them from Bangkok to Beijing. Travelling at those speeds there would need to be 100% grade separation. No railroad crossings

On the negative side, if something goes wrong at that sort of speed there will be few survivors.