China and Thailand to be connected by new 840km railway

[webfact]

China and Thailand to be connected by new 840km railway
By Kyle Lawrence Mullin

KUNMING: -- Passengers will soon be able to travel from Kunming to Bangkok for only RMB700.00 (THB3,931), a third of the current airfare.

That new cheaper mode of transportation will be a 840 kilometer trans China-Thai railway, which was announced over the weekend and is set to be completed in three years time.

Chinese state media outlet Xinhua says the new rail line should bring two million more Chinese tourists to Thailand annually, a marked increase to the already impressive 11 million travellers who venture there from the PRC each year. The line will also be a major artery for freight and goods between the two countries.

Full story: http://asiancorrespondent.com/135693/china-and-thailand-to-be-connected-by-new-840km-railway/

-- ASIAN CORRESPONDENT 2015-09-21

[sfokevin]

"Set to be completed in three years time"

[elviajero]

After the project overruns and overspends the ticket won't cost 3,931 Baht!

[JoePai]

the new rail line should bring two million more Chinese tourists to Thailand annually

Note to self - do not take the train to/from China

[mrrizzla]

Well it took 25 years for them Don Mueng BTS to...well not finish...but at least...start going again.

I bet the farm in ten years this still won't be done.

[Crossy]

Bangkok to Kunming is 1,221 km as the crow flies. Something doesn't add up here.

840km from Kunming gets us roughly to the Thai / Laos border.

[borisloosebrain]

Well that worked out really well for the Tibetans didn't it

[Thian]

A flight from 1000 km costs aroung 3-4000 baht return with air asia.

So the train costs the same and takes how many hours?

[trainman34014]

More pie in the sky. Who's funding it ? Last time the Thai's asked about railway finance from China they wanted 4% interest on the billions needed and the Thai'a backed off and said they wanted it for 1-2%.

[Tragic]

Am I the only excited about this?

[Spleen]

Surprising they didn't do a high speed Railway (not). 180kph could be 1 metre gauge. 840k, land acquisition, Formation, viaducts , Tunnels, signalling , Traction current , comms. I wouldn't give you change out of 8 years , fully commissioned

Land acquisition is obviously crucial .If they get parts of it late it throws the whole combined planning and budget.Many contractors want linear access,North to south or vice versa, If they have to mess around moving 30ks up the road and then coming back later, chaos follows

[oxo1947]

Am I the only excited about this?

Yes tragic because you are amongst the usual nothing can be done right in Thailand brigade -----this is quite humorous as a lot of the posters are from the UK a country that has talked about putting in a high speed rail system HS2 for about the last 20 years. The cost there is estimated to be around £42.6bn... (2352 Billion Baht)....no its not going to China its just going up the road a bit-----if they ever stop talking about it & do it----how long to complete --best guest 2033. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-16473296

& they find it entertaining to laugh at the Thai's..........but then we had the same with the airport......no it will never get done....then its no good , (even though it keeps getting voted in the top 5)

So the short answer Tragic, is that amongst this lot who seem to hate the Thai's progressing in any way-----yes you are the only one to get excited

...

[Beng]

A blessing for Laos, but speed of 180 km/hr seems dangerously too fast for LOS.

[Seastallion]

Bangkok to Kunming is 1,221 km as the crow flies. Something doesn't add up here.

840km from Kunming gets us roughly to the Thai / Laos border.

That's what I was about to post.

And factor in what it is to skirt impassable areas....1500 km minimum, 2000 more likely.

3 years? Who are they trying to hoodwink?

[phoenixdoglover]

Here's a nice quote from the full article:

"Radio Free Asia reports that China will train Laos officials ahead of the construction, and that the two nations will establish a company to coordinate that project, although financing for the initiative is still “up in the air”."

[saakura]

Well it took 25 years for them Don Mueng BTS to...well not finish...but at least...start going again.

I bet the farm in ten years this still won't be done.

BTS is the skytrain whose physical construction started around 1993 and was completed (first phase Onnut to Saphan Taksin via National Stadium) and operational in 1997 which was very very impressive. Same for other major infrastructure projects such as MRT subway train, Chonburi motorway, etc all completed in good time and quality construction. The only delayed and abandoned project was the Hopewell project which got bogged down in litigation.

[Praematura]

Air Asia is offering direct flights to Utapao for 3,000 baht. It could be a promotion but I doubt the Chinese cheapskates are spending $300 bucks to come here.

[Spleen]

Well it took 25 years for them Don Mueng BTS to...well not finish...but at least...start going again.

I bet the farm in ten years this still won't be done.

BTS is the skytrain whose physical construction started around 1993 and was completed (first phase Onnut to Saphan Taksin via National Stadium) and operational in 1997 which was very very impressive. Same for other major infrastructure projects such as MRT subway train, Chonburi motorway, etc all completed in good time and quality construction. The only delayed and abandoned project was the Hopewell project which got bogged down in litigation.

Railways of that length are a different animal the Traction current (OCS) is far more complicated and heavier construction than a 3rd rail , which can be installed at a rate of 100s of metres a day. Also the signalling installation will be massive with thousand of insulated joints , ATPs and then there is the wiring

[uptheos]

Well it took 25 years for them Don Mueng BTS to...well not finish...but at least...start going again.

I bet the farm in ten years this still won't be done.

If the Chinese can 'lend a hand' I wouldn't bet anything let alone the farm.

They will speculate to gain a foothold.

[saakura]

Well it took 25 years for them Don Mueng BTS to...well not finish...but at least...start going again.

I bet the farm in ten years this still won't be done.

BTS is the skytrain whose physical construction started around 1993 and was completed (first phase Onnut to Saphan Taksin via National Stadium) and operational in 1997 which was very very impressive. Same for other major infrastructure projects such as MRT subway train, Chonburi motorway, etc all completed in good time and quality construction. The only delayed and abandoned project was the Hopewell project which got bogged down in litigation.

Railways of that length are a different animal the Traction current (OCS) is far more complicated and heavier construction than a 3rd rail , which can be installed at a rate of 100s of metres a day. Also the signalling installation will be massive with thousand of insulated joints , ATPs and then there is the wiring

Possible, but then we have also seen China taking on unbeleivably huge projects such as the Shanghai-Ningbo 26kms sea bridge and completing it record time.

Was just responding to the baseless thai bashing about BTS taking 25yrs to be completed.

[stoneyboy]

If the Chinese are intent on this going ahead they obviously have the people,funds and know how to make this a success and it is indeed very possible.

That said the initial report and facts surrounding the project already shows signs of errors and cracks so the likelihood of this going ahead and being a success is about as likely as West Ham winning the Champions league in the next 20 years.

[ratcatcher]

Am I the only excited about this?

Yes tragic because you are amongst the usual nothing can be done right in Thailand brigade -----this is quite humorous as a lot of the posters are from the UK a country that has talked about putting in a high speed rail system HS2 for about the last 20 years. The cost there is estimated to be around £42.6bn... (2352 Billion Baht)....no its not going to China its just going up the road a bit-----if they ever stop talking about it & do it----how long to complete --best guest 2033. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-16473296

& they find it entertaining to laugh at the Thai's..........but then we had the same with the airport......no it will never get done....then its no good , (even though it keeps getting voted in the top 5)

So the short answer Tragic, is that amongst this lot who seem to hate the Thai's progressing in any way-----yes you are the only one to get excited

...

Perhaps the UK sees the folly in trying to match France and Germany with HST. They have been running

120 mph / 190kph trains in the UK for 40 years (Intercity 125) on standard gauge track.

Fast trains on shared track might work for Thailand. HST on dedicated track might be a waste of money since freight moves slower.

In Thailand, there's always a lot of smoke before there's any traction.

[stoneyboy]

Am I the only excited about this?

Yes tragic because you are amongst the usual nothing can be done right in Thailand brigade -----this is quite humorous as a lot of the posters are from the UK a country that has talked about putting in a high speed rail system HS2 for about the last 20 years. The cost there is estimated to be around £42.6bn... (2352 Billion Baht)....no its not going to China its just going up the road a bit-----if they ever stop talking about it & do it----how long to complete --best guest 2033. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-16473296

& they find it entertaining to laugh at the Thai's..........but then we had the same with the airport......no it will never get done....then its no good , (even though it keeps getting voted in the top 5)

So the short answer Tragic, is that amongst this lot who seem to hate the Thai's progressing in any way-----yes you are the only one to get excited

...

Perhaps the UK sees the folly in trying to match France and Germany with HST. They have been running

120 mph / 190kph trains in the UK for 40 years (Intercity 125) on standard gauge track.

Fast trains on shared track might work for Thailand. HST on dedicated track might be a waste of money since freight moves slower.

In Thailand, there's always a lot of smoke before there's any traction.

Yes and trains are that bad in the UK we run them under the channel (NORTH SEA) to the continent,now that was some engineering achievement any nation-nations would be proud of.

[pmugghc]

Am I the only excited about this?

You need to get through the TVF re-education camp! You're not allowed to have anything positive to say about anything related to Thailand. You need to learn how to heap scorn, bile and ridicule on the Thais, whatever they do.

[BSJ]

3 years to finish....doubtful. Maybe 5 years if they forget about the EIS and compulsorily acquire all the land the government don't already own.

[t8769]

Agreed pmugghc

Anything positive about Thailand and immediately people start posting negative comments about the people, how terrible they are and how ( I assume) they are inferior to the wonderful Westerner.

There's an army of miserable, bitter, twisted guys waiting to leave negative comments on this site whenever anything good is mentioned about Thailand.

Its always about how they know the real Thailand, and how bad it is.​

I know there are some alcoholic losers among the honourable fraternity of Fallang, but they never shut up.

It took 20 years for London to get its latest subway. The UK's high speed rail was talked about for decades and isn't going to be up for at least another 10.

Sneering Western Fallang have nothing to feel superior about.

​

[nong38]

"Set to be completed in three years time"

I'm sorry I will read and write that again..................thirty years time!

[nong38]

Agreed pmugghc

Anything positive about Thailand and immediately people start posting negative comments about the people, how terrible they are and how ( I assume) they are inferior to the wonderful Westerner.

There's an army of miserable, bitter, twisted guys waiting to leave negative comments on this site whenever anything good is mentioned about Thailand.

Its always about how they know the real Thailand, and how bad it is.​

I know there are some alcoholic losers among the honourable fraternity of Fallang, but they never shut up.

It took 20 years for London to get its latest subway. The UK's high speed rail was talked about for decades and isn't going to be up for at least another 10.

Sneering Western Fallang have nothing to feel superior about.

​

It is indeed positive news, that does not mean to say it will happen though and its just not possible to build an 840km railway in 3 years time, this shows that whoever gave out this news has no concept about how long it takes to build a railway, especially one from scratch, as your figures show.

I would long for a railway system here that covers the country, connects the major cities and gives me option to travel by bus/coach, I really would but it would cost and take time and probably not in my time, they could make a start by converting to standard guage, I presume that the new proposed line will be standard guage?

[Oziex1]

A blessing for Laos, but speed of 180 km/hr seems dangerously too fast for LOS.

Just a few clicks slower than the average white visa run van.

[mcfish]

the new rail line should bring two million more Chinese tourists to Thailand annually

Note to self - do not take the train to/from China

Last year I had the unfortunate luck to be at a hotel in Phnom penh where a group of 50 Chinese were staying. During the buffet breakfast I was absolutely disgusted by the sounds these pigs were making, slurping,sucking,belching,and a whole assortment of animal type sounds. Needless to say I wont be using the dining car on this train