Rail Singapore To China

[timber]

China Backs AMBDC Council, Railway Line

China feels that the ASEAN- Mekong Basin Development Cooperation (AMBDC) council should be retained to accelerate the construction of the proposed US$1.8 billion Singapore-Kunming Rail Link project. Director General of Yunan Provincial Lanchang-Mekong River of Economic Cooperation Office, Wang Minzheng, said that the AMBDC council could ensure the succesful implementation of the 8,000 kilometres pan-Asian railway project. He said that China was also prepared to part finance the Trans Asia railway line which will pass through Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar. "It is regretted if the mechanism has to stop. The main task of this mechanism is to establish the rail link," he told Bernama after attending the AMBDC meeting here Saturday. He said that although critics might say that the AMBDC council has been ineffective, it should not mean that the council should be dissolved because measures could be taken to improve its efficiency. "We want the council (to stay) but work towards efficiency," he said. He said that the rail project was important to connect people and help to boost economic prosperity and the tourism sector. "We want our neighbours to become better and better, richer and richer," he said, adding that the China government viewed the project as important. "Our minister has clearly expressed, we would think seriously on this project. We are prepared to support it financially," he said. On Aug 23, Asean Economic Ministers (AEM), who gathered here for their 38th meeting, announced that the AMBDC council is to be dissolved and its functions will return to the AEM agenda. In making the announcement Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Rafidah Aziz said that the council failed to play its role effectively due to administrative and financial constraints.

[fxm88]

Are they building a whole new system, or just connecting the pieces tha talready exist?

http://www.seat61.com/Map-SEAsia.htm

[timber]

I think there are still a lot of questions to be answered. There is new track to be laid to make connections with China. One of the big questions on existing tracks would be the change in rail guage. With the potential for freight to the Adaman Sea and speed of mass delivery I think that they have to take a look at the gauge of the track. I come from Canada where the country is very dependent on rail. They have a bigger gauge on their track and the amount of feight that is shipped by rail is staggering. If material is going to places like Singapore and Malaysia then there is a balance between speed and cost. The food stuffs that could be shipped from Thailand to China and visa versa would make big changes also. A lot of variables but for sure would cause some changes. Things like bio-diesel may be more profitable to send to China. Thailand doesn't seem to know what to do with it.

[fxm88]

Probably shouldn't hold your breath on this one.

Final gaps closing in plans for Trans-Asian Railway, AP, January 1, 1998:

One of the world's longest train rides -- a 9,300-mile trek from Singapore to Scotland -- is getting closer to being reality.

Planners and engineers are cobbling together the last links of a vast railway network that will link the far reaches of Asia and on to Europe.

...

Whatever the hurdles, planners say that within five to 10 years rail buffs should be able to savor a veritable Asian railway bazaar.

[timber]

No question that it is longer term. I think China wants this in a lot of both imports and exports. I just get excited about projects like this.

[Florin]

This definitely sounds nice and because of China's commercial interest I'm sure it will ultimately get done...though it's not just about plugging the remaining gaps in the network (connecting Cambodia would solve that problem), track doubling must also be done. I noticed the SRT has been planning this for quite a while (the track doubling), but not much has been done so far.

The 1.8 billion $ notion seems somewhat off, though...how could they possibly do it with so little money?