PM Prayut expedites High-Speed Rail Project for tourism purpose

[bassman]

Pattaya needs mass transit on the beach side of Suk. as much as it needs anything else. Park and ride stations in key locations and get rid of all those murderous buses clogging up even the smallest Soi's. Great for everyone to get on the hi-speed train from BKK but what do the tourist do on arrival in Pattaya, get on a tour bus or the deplorable baht buses?

Good on the PM to bring up new ideas but a study of impact and best options for precious resources should be prudent. But it seems that China, China and China are ready to turn this nation into a great debtor and forever grateful.

[Monkeyrobot]

Build another line next to the Skytrain line going to the airport??? Why not just build it from the Airport onwards to Pattatta ? The line already exists from BKk to the Airport just swap trains. Anyway most of the punters go straight to Pattaya from the Airport direct they don't even go to Bkk . I really think they should think about what they say before they release this information or give there advisors a smack in the head for thinking the pulic Thai and Farang will swallow this.

[tartempion]

This country still does not have decent basic road/train infrastructure.

I drove Bangkok-Udon Thani a few times and it was horrendous, compare that drive with American or European high ways or take a train trough Europe. Thailand is still not up with 20th century Europe/America for many decades to come.

Edited March 3, 2015 by tartempion

[rafish]

Who's this for? Tourists? Eh? Expensive do nothing railway.

[HOOD Robin]

Prayut never left the kindergarten it seems...

Why the heck do they need a bullet train for such SHORT trajects !? At the time it is at full speed it has to hit the brakes or it will land in Pattaya bay

First thing they should improve is EDUCATION ! Can you imagine a Thai "driver" with that bullet train who doesnt understand any English ??

TH will always remain a 3rd world country...

[mango66]

I can see the BKK-HuaHin route, but high speed BKK to Pattaya/Rayong? Most needed high speed route I would think would be for a Bangkok to Chiang Mai.

JMHO.

I would prefer to cut even any street to CM, CM should be integrated in their chiinese republic;

[mango66]

Prayut never left the kindergarten it seems...

Why the heck do they need a bullet train for such SHORT trajects !? At the time it is at full speed it has to hit the brakes or it will land in Pattaya bay

First thing they should improve is EDUCATION ! Can you imagine a Thai "driver" with that bullet train who doesnt understand any English ??

TH will always remain a 3rd world country...

Thais will remain Thais,

most of them never will see any other education than Thai;

start with school drill and dress, over haircut like army and so on !!

[Jungle Jim]

Please explain to me what common Thai is going to be able to afford this thing. It will likely be cheaper and easier for most foreigners to fly. This is a big boondoggle to blow millions and billions on a train that in the end will never work. They can barely run the broken down outdated trains they have. The money should be spent on just standard trains and dual tracks. The best thing they could do is fire the train boss. One of Yingluck's many brain dead ideas.

[Fat Haggis]

Yingluck isn't pushing this one in case you didn't read this correctly and what makes you think the Juntas train boss hasn't also got dilusions of grandeur?

[Traveller45]

Why is this in the remit of a government which is merely in place to stabilise the country and hand it back over to democratic civilian control next year? Yes, it is a rhetorical question..

Well, this is expressly NOT a caretaker government. If the assumption is true that civilian governments in Thailand merely serve to put money in pockets, and do little else, then this period of legitimate, as it were, dictatorship is an excellent occasion to bring such large investment projects forward.

[newnative]

The other thing is you take the train to Pattaya and then what? There's no public transportation system when you get here. And, no, sitting on the back of a pickup truck or a motorcycle is not a public transportation system. For a city this large it's unbelievable there is no public transportation system. A good public transportation system would eliminate some of the traffic problems. A few years ago they put up big red bus stop signs all around the city--nice but they forgot to buy any buses or hire any drivers. Oops. I used to live in Pratamnak and a few years ago it was announced that there would be a public bus started that would make a loop around the very congested Pratamnak area. Never happened. A country with limited resources needs to be careful how it spends its money. Thailand and Pattaya need the BASICS first.

[webfact]

Ministry mulls train routes to Pattaya, Hua Hin
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Transport Ministry has set up a working committee to consider ways to develop a high-speed train project from Bangkok to Pattaya and another from Bangkok to Huahin. The route will feature the 1.435 metre wide standard-gauge track.

Transport Minister Prajin Juntong said on Monday the project could be developed by utilising imported technology and he believes there is sufficient public demand for these routes.

Public private partnership through the granting of concessions has been suggested as a possible method of investment. Another option is joint investment on a government to government basis.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Ministry-mulls-train-routes-to-Pattaya-Huahin-30255232.html


-- The Nation 2015-03-03

[cumgranosalum]

Thailand would benefit from a train system. - but NOT from a load of showpiece projects with no real merit. As ever the authorities go for face over function.

[Traveller45]

Prayut never left the kindergarten it seems...

Why the heck do they need a bullet train for such SHORT trajects !? At the time it is at full speed it has to hit the brakes or it will land in Pattaya bay

First thing they should improve is EDUCATION ! Can you imagine a Thai "driver" with that bullet train who doesnt understand any English ??

TH will always remain a 3rd world country...

Thais will remain Thais,

most of them never will see any other education than Thai;

start with school drill and dress, over haircut like army and so on !!

Quite finished chuckling? I would think it is OBVIOUS that if such an innovatory project is undertaken, they start on short distances. If it works well then expansion might happen. And as far as finances go, it would indeed be best to find a foreign operator for this. This is not a means of locomotion for common Thais. The bullet trains in China are expensive, too, and they are always full, incidentally. There is such a thing as middle class even in Thailand. All these arguments could have been brought forward against BTS as well and BTS works at capacity.

[Ve37]

Please explain to me what common Thai is going to be able to afford this thing. It will likely be cheaper and easier for most foreigners to fly. This is a big boondoggle to blow millions and billions on a train that in the end will never work. They can barely run the broken down outdated trains they have. The money should be spent on just standard trains and dual tracks. The best thing they could do is fire the train boss. One of Yingluck's many brain dead ideas.

Yes,...I understand that it's very difficult to explain things to a conservative like yourself

http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Society/Conservatives_Deconstruct.html

Progressives, like Yingluck, understand that High Speed encourages job growth, even before being built, lifting Thailand out of it's decline into less and less, towards a more prosperous future.

IMO, only an insane person could not see the value of a High Speed Line between Ayutthaya, Sukhothai, Chiang Mai, Chaing Rai. The reason why the PDRC folks reject such a train is merely to spite the Rural Majority in the North,...but that will be soon taken care of through the new Constitution, which will make government officials appointed positions, through the superior Bangkok Elite,...a Conservatives Dream.

[Jungle Jim]

I guess you forgot this was one of her bright ideas.

Yingluck isn't pushing this one in case you didn't read this correctly and what makes you think the Juntas train boss hasn't also got dilusions of grandeur?

[tingtongtourist]

Why is this in the remit of a government which is merely in place to stabilise the country and hand it back over to democratic civilian control next year? Yes, it is a rhetorical question..

My guess is either they are trying to do good things for the countrys future now OR someone stands to gain bulk profit for granting the project into the right hands.

either way its not much different to our own countries who grant mining rights for under the table fee or chop down forest for the profit of short term government.

not many world governments make sound long term decisions in the interest of the voters, and when they try they often get blocked by opposition government who dont want the ruling government to gain popularity. Its a stupid system really when you think about it.

say what you want about the junta government but at least they are getting things done without interferance from childish bearocratic bickering

[Cuchulainn]

...........Progressives, like Yingluck............

[Fat Haggis]

I guess you forgot this was one of her bright ideas.

Yingluck isn't pushing this one in case you didn't read this correctly and what makes you think the Juntas train boss hasn't also got dilusions of grandeur?

And the Junta don't need to pursue it do they, if it was a half arsed idea when her lot instigated it and the current lot and proceeding with it, says a lot about the Junta doesn't it?

[HOOD Robin]

...........Progressives, like Yingluck............

+1

[Lupatria]

With the local's skills in operation and maintenance i propose a suitable cheap solution:

I'm still hoping to finally get my first "like" from Costas

[bheard]

Fast trains in Thailand - I reckon the concept is definitely scary.

I've travelled in Japan on their high speed trains, and those trains run nicely and without too many problems. This is because Japanese culture is, on the whole, based on the notion of each worker doing a good and thorough job. Consequently the passenger can have some confidence.

Not so in Thailand. Too much slackness, maibenrai, etc. A high speed train in Thailand would be subject to the same culture - look at and travel on any bus to see just how the Thais view design, maintenance, and any aspect of good service.

A small point. The train lines will have to be totally fenced off from people and animals, and those fences will need to be maintained in good condition and inspected daily by someone who actually cares. Where to find such people in Thailand?

[ExPratt]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Fast trains in Thailand - I reckon the concept is definitely scary.

I've travelled in Japan on their high speed trains, and those trains run nicely and without too many problems. This is because Japanese culture is, on the whole, based on the notion of each worker doing a good and thorough job. Consequently the passenger can have some confidence.

Not so in Thailand. Too much slackness, maibenrai, etc. A high speed train in Thailand would be subject to the same culture - look at and travel on any bus to see just how the Thais view design, maintenance, and any aspect of good service.

A small point. The train lines will have to be totally fenced off from people and animals, and those fences will need to be maintained in good condition and inspected daily by someone who actually cares. Where to find such people in Thailand?

Malaysia are spending lots of Money on railways over 20 Billion US up until 2020 there aim is to be viewed as a "Developed" country. I was speaking to a Malay bloke about it one day and he reckoned they could not be "Developed" until they lost their "Third world Mentality" as he called it. They expect corruption , they expect things to not work properly , they expect things to fall apart with no maintenance, they expect everything to be late or second rate ,they don't bother to complain , so they do not bother to look after anything or care much about it. I'm afraid its probably the same here

Edited March 3, 2015 by ExPratt

[price]

They cannot even keep the 'slow speed trains' on the track. I also wonder about the extent of the impact study.

That being said, if it is built well and impact to those along the route is positive(jobs, commerce, etc) and comes to fruition it would be a tremendous boon to Thailands' economy and tourism.

[bkkcanuck8]

They cannot even keep the 'slow speed trains' on the track. I also wonder about the extent of the impact study.

That being said, if it is built well and impact to those along the route is positive(jobs, commerce, etc) and comes to fruition it would be a tremendous boon to Thailands' economy and tourism.

Impact study.... simple... faster trains have greater impact!

[metisdead]

A post containing an aberrant misspelling of Yingluck's name has been removed. Another post containing content copy and pasted from another site has been removed as well as the replies.

[bangmai]

This sounds nice, But the tourist do not have a problem getting to Hua Hin from Bkk and Bkk to smelly Pattaya. Save the money. Fix all the dangerous roads. Help schools. Educate taxi and mini van drivers. Stop the Freaking scams. Put drug dealers in jail. Pay the police more money. Give teachers more money.

well, you could start by paying the taxes legally due on your lease.

[Alwyn]

<General> "I know what will get all of the tourists back to Thailand. A high-speed train. That will do it"

< Tourism Minister> "What a brilliant idea oh Great One! You're so smart! It'll generate a whole new Genre of tourists who have never been to Thailand as well, I hear train spotters spend more than any other tourist oh Great One, I wonder why nobody else thought of it!!... Oh... wait a minute"

Edited March 3, 2015 by Alwyn

[Jungle Jim]

I totally agree with you. The junta as some call them have made more changes for the good in the last six months than all the past governments have in years. This fast train idea which was first taken off the list of projects somehow has been reborn again. It is a very bad idea. The Thai government and its citizens are on a spending spree and within a year it will all come crashing down on them much worse than 1997. If the military had not taken over when they did many foreigners living here now would have experienced a civil war and worse. Democracy sometimes does not always work the best for some nations. America has its own style of corruption just better hidden. Thailand has some very dark days ahead and not because of the military. If you don,t see the writing on the wall your blind.

Why is this in the remit of a government which is merely in place to stabilise the country and hand it back over to democratic civilian control next year? Yes, it is a rhetorical question..

My guess is either they are trying to do good things for the countrys future now OR someone stands to gain bulk profit for granting the project into the right hands.
either way its not much different to our own countries who grant mining rights for under the table fee or chop down forest for the profit of short term government.
not many world governments make sound long term decisions in the interest of the voters, and when they try they often get blocked by opposition government who dont want the ruling government to gain popularity. Its a stupid system really when you think about it.
say what you want about the junta government but at least they are getting things done without interferance from childish bearocratic bickering

[bkkcanuck8]

The high speed train idea has been supported by both major parties, first the Democrats.... then the Peau Thai when they were in power (which is when the Democrats became against the boon doggle if I remember right), then it was a boon doggle for the Peau Thai, but now it is in favour again..... Someone must have some really good lobbyists with "buckets of grease" for it to keep on coming back into favour for something so obviously fiscally unsound.....