Doubt over Thailand high-speed rail plan's sustainability

[Daniel Boon]

As other Posters have observed ... high speed rail is only viable if you have a clientele that will use it; in Australia (my stomping ground), we have a theoretically cashed up population; however, interest in the high speed rail is poor and funding is problematic, given that the federal government and or state governments (from Brisbane to Sydney and perhaps Melbourne) are all broke and revenue poor ...

So destination stations would require long term planning feasibility studies (which I undertook in 2011 for just the northern region in NSW and SE Queensland); perhaps a cashed up China might help, but it could portend for local agricultural production and or mass movement of unwanted people ....

[Ricardo]

I heard a year or 2 ago that within 5/6 years there would be a rail link from Phrae to Chiang Rai. How's that coming on? Did they even start it?

It's a hoary old election-promise, trotted-out every election for fifty years or more, still hasn't happened & IMO unlikely to, unless the Chinese freight-line takes that particular route ?

[klauskunkel]

Dear Mr. Spiegel,

You missed the point. It's not about sustainability of a high-speed rail system, nor feasibility of a rice scheme, nor accountability of a flooding budget, for that matter it's not about credibility of any government project.

It's just a way of moving tax money in the correct pockets. And if you look at it that way, then of course it is sustainable, feasible, accountable and credible. Just a matter of perspective...

[12DrinkMore]

Surely more logical to build a fast link to the Yangon deep sea container port which is being developed.

But maybe Singapore is paying a bit more tea money to prevent that? Apparently they managed to stop the canal running across Thailand by regular bungs.

[bigbamboo]

This guy sounds like he actually believes the loan is all about 'investing in Thailand'.

[MK1]

A consultant hired to break–the-ice on the lack of skilled people in the country to build the proposed mega project, paving the way for the next incoming government to waiver the labor laws and allowing for perhaps the main-contractor to bring in a mass of Chinese workers, if approved.

Don’t you love this type of electioneering?

[ourmanflint]

I heard a year or 2 ago that within 5/6 years there would be a rail link from Phrae to Chiang Rai. How's that coming on? Did they even start it?

Never going to happen now, the rail route from Kunming across Laos has been changed so now passes through Vientiane and Nong Khai.

[ourmanflint]

Surely more logical to build a fast link to the Yangon deep sea container port which is being developed.

But maybe Singapore is paying a bit more tea money to prevent that? Apparently they managed to stop the canal running across Thailand by regular bungs.

The Yangon line is well under way AFAIK.

[johnmcc6]

""It's a big problem [for China] if the Thai government doesn't release the [high-speed rail part of the] Bt2-trillion budget. Thailand is a hub in a wheel. The main spoke comes from Kunming [in Southern China]," he added."

I can only see it benefiting China if it's moving freight and not people. Freight is probably what the Chinese want it for.

So let the Chinese build it. It will be a financial disaster if Thailand goes it alone. The poor can't afford it and the rich will fly. Quicker...cheaper. Not to mention they can't take care of the one they have.

[PETERTHEEATER]

.......Thailand is a hub in a wheel. The main spoke comes from Kunming [in Southern China]," he added.

Seems to me that if the spoke comes from Kunming, that is where the hub is and LoS is on the rim.

[Thai at Heart]

.......Thailand is a hub in a wheel. The main spoke comes from Kunming [in Southern China]," he added.

Seems to me that if the spoke comes from Kunming, that is where the hub is and LoS is on the rim.

He was being diplomatic. Could you imagine how offended everyone here would be if it transpired that the chinese thought the hub was Kunming and not bangkok.

Kunming???, My lord. If you want to see a corrupt lawless hotbed.. Strewth

[millwall_fan]

Spiegel said Thailand's planned high-speed rail system was also crucial to China's ambitious plan to expand its extensive rail network to reach Malaysia and Singapore.

"It's a big problem [for China] if the Thai government doesn't release the [high-speed rail part of the] Bt2-trillion budget. Thailand is a hub in a wheel. The main spoke comes from Kunming [in Southern China]," he added.

Does this project have any benefit to anyone other than China? I mean besides the billions that friends of PTP will make speculating on land, and from direct kickbacks.

I think the Chinese will find that 'no money, no honey' applies to building railways as well as to personal relationships!