Thai Cabinet approves Chira-Khon Kaen railway project

[webfact]

NEW RAILWAY APPROVE
Cabinet approves Chira-Khon Kaen railway project
Erich Parpart
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Cabinet yesterday approved the 1-metre-gauge dual-track rail route from Chira junction in Nakhon Ratchasima to Khon Kaen, which is part of the Transport Ministry's infrastructure development scheme that kicks off this year.

"The Cabinet has approved the construction of the Chira-Khon Kaen rail route and instructed the ministry to commence with the investment plan while following up with the route from Map Kabao [in Saraburi province] to Chira, which is next in line" for approval, Transport Minister Prajin Juntong said.

The ministry plans to allocate Bt1.9 trillion over eight years to fund the infrastructure projects.

The highlights are the two high-speed dual-track railway projects worth Bt741 billion and six standard-gauge dual-track rail projects covering 887 kilometres worth Bt127 billion.

The 187km stretch approved yesterday is expected to cost Bt26 billion to build. Construction is expected to commence midyear, with operations starting by 2018.

The Chira-Khon Kaen route passed its environment impact assessment last year but the Map Kabao-Chira EIA has yet to gain approval. A Government House source said the EIA was expected to clear before the next Cabinet meeting.

The construction of all six standard-gauge dual-track rail routes, including the one approved yesterday, is expected to cost Bt117.4 billion. The other five routes are Prachuap Khiri Khan-Chumphon (167km), Nakhon Pathom-Hua Hin (165km), Map Kabao-Chira (132km), Lop Buri-Pak Nam Pho (148km) and Hua Hin-Prachuap Khiri Khan (90km).

The source also said the Cabinet discussed the possibility of extending a Bt4.5-billion official development assistance (ODA) loan to Myanmar to fund the construction of the 138km two-lane road between the Dawei Special Economic Zone in Myanmar's Tanintharyi region and Phunumron checkpoint in Thailand's Kanchanaburi province.

The discussion focused on a suitable interest rate.

The most likely outcome is to provide a three-year ODA loan with a zero-per-cent interest rate instead of the 1-2 per cent proposed earlier in exchange for the Thai side being able to build a storage tank for liquefied natural gas and a coal-fired power plant in Myanmar.

Myanmar has 30 years to pay the loan back. The ODA will be given in three tranches with a Bt1.5-billion budget each year, the source said.

Maj-General Sunsern Kaewkumnerd Sansern Kaewkamnerd, deputy government spokesman, said the law to govern the setting up of special economic zones in the border areas of Thailand would probably take the form of an executive decree rather than an act, whose approval process takes much longer.

The deadline for the ruling junta's political road map is approaching and the prime minister along with the Cabinet believes that this is an urgent economic measure that needs to be in place within this government's term, he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Cabinet-approves-Chira-Khon-Kaen-railway-project-30259562.html


-- The Nation 2015-05-08

[keith101]

1 mtr really more derailments on the way

[khwaibah]

1 mtr?? Idiots, Your throwing good money away. It should be 1.43.

[ExPratt]

Nothing wrong with new 1 metre gauge as long as its built properly same as Standard gauge. 140 would be a practical speed . The derailments come from poorly maintained worn out track and a very poor signaling system. They will also need to replace the formation I would imagine

These are practical railways far better value than the high speeds they are talking about

[cancan70]

Why on earth would you ever want to have a railway system with two different gauges? Talk about throwing good money after bad. It seems this country is really good at doing things the wrong way and then regretting their decisions down the road. But of course never admitting that a mistake was made!

[cnx355]

Nothing wrong with new 1 metre gauge as long as its built properly same as Standard gauge. 140 would be a practical speed . The derailments come from poorly maintained worn out track and a very poor signaling system. They will also need to replace the formation I would imagine

These are practical railways far better value than the high speeds they are talking about

Right but they plan to rebuild most new project dual track in 1,43 meter ! So, have one line in 1 meter would be quite strange and a waste of money.

The branch could not connect to the main network planned.

[NongKhaiKid]

Nothing wrong with new 1 metre gauge as long as its built properly same as Standard gauge. 140 would be a practical speed . The derailments come from poorly maintained worn out track and a very poor signaling system. They will also need to replace the formation I would imagine

These are practical railways far better value than the high speeds they are talking about

In the aspect of face high speed rail is something they can boast about and TAT can promote.

[ExPratt]

Apart from the proposed Heavy Freight line from BKK to Nong kai The 1 metre gauge new Track will be fine for passenger Traffic 140 to 160 kph, they can also take freight. Its also cheaper

Its always better to compatible components but in this case the proposed Railways are being built be different Countries let alone companies. If the insist of wasting money on High speed 220+ then I think they are at least being sensible by using some 1 metre Gauge

Malaysia have a perfectly Moder new 1 meter gauge railway from Pedang Basar to KL.

Before and After

Edited May 9, 2015 by ExPratt

[ratcatcher]

Nothing wrong with new 1 metre gauge as long as its built properly same as Standard gauge. 140 would be a practical speed . The derailments come from poorly maintained worn out track and a very poor signaling system. They will also need to replace the formation I would imagine

These are practical railways far better value than the high speeds they are talking about

"These are practical railways far better value than the high speeds they are talking about"

Spot on. The gauge is not the problem it is the maintenance and as ExP says, the signalling. Double tracking will help but I am not aware that Singapore and Malaysia are planning on changing their gauge for the KTM system which runs from SG to the Thai border.. The planned HST from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore will use standard gauge.

The confusion always arises with the planned Chinese projects which have been touted as using standard gauge as opposed to metre gauge.

When Thailand goes to standard gauge all rolling stock will become obsolete unless metre gauge is retained as it connects with Malaysia.

[ExPratt]

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

Why on earth would you ever want to have a railway system with two different gauges? Talk about throwing good money after bad. It seems this country is really good at doing things the wrong way and then regretting their decisions down the road. But of course never admitting that a mistake was made!

Cost , mainly. Proper high speed is Standard gauge and the Nong Khai -BKK is heavy freight apparently plus probably using Chinese rolling stock

[ExPratt]

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

Nothing wrong with new 1 metre gauge as long as its built properly same as Standard gauge. 140 would be a practical speed . The derailments come from poorly maintained worn out track and a very poor signaling system. They will also need to replace the formation I would imagine

These are practical railways far better value than the high speeds they are talking about

"These are practical railways far better value than the high speeds they are talking about"

Spot on. The gauge is not the problem it is the maintenance and as ExP says, the signalling. Double tracking will help but I am not aware that Singapore and Malaysia are planning on changing their gauge for the KTM system which runs from SG to the Thai border.. The planned HST from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore will use standard gauge.

The confusion always arises with the planned Chinese projects which have been touted as using standard gauge as opposed to metre gauge.

When Thailand goes to standard gauge all rolling stock will become obsolete unless metre gauge is retained as it connects with Malaysia.

Malaysias answer to Chinas offer to build a High speed Railway from China to Singapore was to built a new 350K 1 metre gauge Railway from the Border to ipoh. They will build there own from KL to Singapore,as you mention they do not want the Chinese superhighway

Edited May 9, 2015 by ExPratt