Japan is likely to undertake Kanchanaburi route railway project


File photo. Source: internet

BANGKOK, 27 Mar 2015, (NNT) - Thailand is prepared to discuss a joint railway project with Japan on March 31st, said Transport Minister Air Chief Marshal Prajin Janthong.

According to the minister, the details of the project will be concluded in May, which include the designation of the route that Japan will undertake and other investment specifics, before the two sides establish a joint committee to study further details.

Japan is currently deciding which route to take, said the Minister, speculating that the nation would probably be most interested in the Kanjanaburi-Bangkok-Aranyaprathet-Laem Chabang (กาญจนบุรี-กรุงเทพ -อรัญประเทศ -แหลมฉบัง), as it connects the railway directly to the soon-to-be-established Dawei and the Leam Chabang seaports.

Unless Japan decides to undertake the route,the Minister said he would discuss with Germany and South Korea instead. The decision will be known in two months' time.

As for the Tak - Phitsanulok - Petchaboon - Khon Kean - Roi Et - Mukdahan route and the route linking Bangkok with Phitsanulok and Chiang Mai, he said he would have to study the details before making any decision.

The Air Chief Marshal said the government is ready to kick off the project by the end of this year, saying a further delay would make it difficult for these projects to be realized, as it will have to be handled by the next government.


-- NNT 2015-03-27

Well I suppose thats a logical choice, given that the Japanese have previous experience on that route!

Who are they going to use for the dirty work?

This is totally wrong on many levels. Seems that Thailand doesn't care much for history.

Isn't integrity and honour a big thing in Japan? Surely they have the education to remember what happened.

Not really a surprise with the distorted history lessons they get.

Ask a Thai what the Victory Monument commemorates and very few will know. Why it is still there after the land was given back is a mystery.

Well I suppose thats a logical choice, given that the Japanese have previous experience on that route!

Hell Fire, they're going to Pass.

They clearly don't do irony in this country..

The Japanese should drop in to the Kanchanaburi cemetery at least once a week and offer their condolences.

That's all ancient history and they were only farangs anyway.

No, far more S.E.Asians died than farangs, on the project.

Yet this isn't taught in Thai schools ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma_Railway

So much for co-prosperity !

Well I suppose thats a logical choice, given that the Japanese have previous experience on that route!

If you haven't noticed, the world is evolving, people tend to forgive and forget.

Not entirely good in my opinion because we should always remember and try to avoid mistakes of the past.

But it's money and interests that talks nowadays to the dismay of old farts, like me.

Well ... Thailand and Japan were both Axis powers during wwii so I'm guessing they see nothing wrong with this.

Well I suppose thats a logical choice, given that the Japanese have previous experience on that route!

If you haven't noticed, the world is evolving, people tend to forgive and forget.

Not entirely good in my opinion because we should always remember and try to avoid mistakes of the past.

But it's money and interests that talks nowadays to the dismay of old farts, like me.

Sorry Costas but you of all people missed the boat on this one.

"the world is evolving, people tend to forgive and forget."

So what is it Greece is asking Germany for again?

My grand father has been capture to be build railtrack and never return home again, each time the track remember someone that you love lost in history.

No, far more S.E.Asians died than farangs, on the project.

Yet this isn't taught in Thai schools ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma_Railway

So much for co-prosperity !

It should be named "The Burma Thailand Death Railway Extension."

Not a whole lot more ironic than driving around Hawaii, Manila or Singapore in a Mitsubishi.

The world has moved on.

On an aside, I'd have some more respect if the Japanese would actually care for the Japanese Memorial about 500 meters from the bridge. Comparing it to the meticulous care given by the Allies to their K-Buri war memorials, the Japanese should be embarrassed.

I guess that old movie is going to need a sequel. At least they found a way to get the slavery out of the fishing industry.

This is totally wrong on many levels. Seems that Thailand doesn't care much for history.

Isn't integrity and honour a big thing in Japan? Surely they have the education to remember what happened.

Not really a surprise with the distorted history lessons they get.

Ask a Thai what the Victory Monument commemorates and very few will know. Why it is still there after the land was given back is a mystery.

For the most part the Japanese don't know the truth about WWII, they aren't taught it in school and for obvious reasons it is quite a taboo subject.

As an example, I have a very good Japanese friend who lives in Thailand (mid forties), I took him to Kanchanaburi for the ANZAC Day 2010 dawn service and he couldn't believe what he was seeing; he couldn't believe the Japanese had done this.

He'd commented that the war never made it to Australia, again, when I mentioned the bombing of Darwin, midget subs in Sydney Harbour he was dumbfounded.

Unfortunately, the people who know the truth in Japan have sadly passed on without passing on the history.

No, far more S.E.Asians died than farangs, on the project.

Yet this isn't taught in Thai schools ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma_Railway

So much for co-prosperity !

The SE Asians that died were Burmese and Malays, so the Thais aren't too interested in that either. A small number of Thais worked on the railroad towards the beginning, but the Japanese weren't allowed to enslave them so they quit as the conditions were difficult. The Japanese then imported about 200,000 slaves from Burma and Malaysia, as well as 60,000 allied POWs. It happened on Thai territory but it is blamed on the Japanese and didn't directly involve many Thais, so it is basically ignored and forgotten today.

A hell of a lot of Bangladeshis and Sri Lankans as well. No doubt Burmese and Cambodian workers will do this time..

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This is totally wrong on many levels. Seems that Thailand doesn't care much for history.

Isn't integrity and honour a big thing in Japan? Surely they have the education to remember what happened.

Not really a surprise with the distorted history lessons they get.

Ask a Thai what the Victory Monument commemorates and very few will know. Why it is still there after the land was given back is a mystery.

For the most part the Japanese don't know the truth about WWII, they aren't taught it in school and for obvious reasons it is quite a taboo subject.

As an example, I have a very good Japanese friend who lives in Thailand (mid forties), I took him to Kanchanaburi for the ANZAC Day 2010 dawn service and he couldn't believe what he was seeing; he couldn't believe the Japanese had done this.

He'd commented that the war never made it to Australia, again, when I mentioned the bombing of Darwin, midget subs in Sydney Harbour he was dumbfounded.

Unfortunately, the people who know the truth in Japan have sadly passed on without passing on the history.

They know what happened alright , they just wont admit it or apologize for it

Edited March 27, 201511 yr by ExPratt

I thought the Japs were doing the Bangkok to Pattaya and Bangkok to Hua Hin High speeds ?

Poor judgement from both sides is an understatement.

Ironic

I wonder weather mr. air chief transportation minister general, has ever seen the "bridge on the river Kwai" and visited the museum. The whole project is a disgrace and an insult to all those who died there and for their families who still come there to pay their respect.

I hope the international community who is quite aware of the history and makes a fist. This simply cannot happen.

Why is the existing railway with some repairs not sufficient? Kanchanabury is on the map because of the 2nd WW. and the tourists visiting there. I am sure potential tourists to Kanchanabury will protest the project.

I just cannot believe the insentivity of Janthong and the Japanese.

Shame on both of you.

What a bunch of rubbish comments. The Past is past. Totally irrelevant with the present railway project.

What a bunch of rubbish comments. The Past is past. Totally irrelevant with the present railway project.

No you are wrong. And by a staggering amount you are wrong.

It's going to be a public relations train wreck.

no loss of face for thai politicians that another country has to come build one ?

they should have fought with the japanese, than they would have much more infrastructure, for free

same freedoms as now anyway

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What a bunch of rubbish comments. The Past is past. Totally irrelevant with the present railway project.

says who? Rubbish, shame on you too. How old are you?