China and Thailand to be connected by new 840km railway

[exbikey]

Chinese are optimistic. They have to remember Thailand does not have a Communist government who can just appropriate land at the drop of a hat. It might be cheaper to go by train but having a regular scheduled flight between the two countries is much easier and cheaper to setup? Its probably more environmentally friendly to fly as well considering the effort/materials required to build such a long railway.

Not sure about your opening couple of sentences "...Thailand does not have a Communist government who can just appropriate land at the drop of a hat..."

Thailand may not have a government but it certainly has members of a government plus many other well connected individuals that can, apparently, appropriate land at the drop of a hat.

[yellowboat]

Chinese are optimistic. They have to remember Thailand does not have a Communist government who can just appropriate land at the drop of a hat. It might be cheaper to go by train but having a regular scheduled flight between the two countries is much easier and cheaper to setup? Its probably more environmentally friendly to fly as well considering the effort/materials required to build such a long railway.

The Thai elite have just as much control of Thailand as the party in China. Some would argue more control. The only issue is will Thailand default on the loans ?

No transportation system in the world is as efficient as rail Nothing beats a steel wheel on a steel track powered by an electric motor.

[Estrada]

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.

Actually it will have taken around 40 Years since JICA originally proposed the Skytrain to Don Muang Airport for the line to finally open to Don Muang. These lines were in fact part of the 1979 Mass Transit Master Plan which was published 36 years ago! There has been much delay on the BTS project, especially the parts of the line which extend beyond the limit of the Democrat Party run BMA. For instance, the Silom line was stopped at Taksin bridge although it should have gone to Wongwian Yai. I have been involved as an advisor since 1982. The sky train project started by Prem in 1984 as the Lavalin Skytrain, should have gone to Morchit, then later to Don Muang. This was cancelled by the opposition political party. 20 years or so ago there was a much publicised Parliamentary fight between the various political parties during Chuan's time(1992-1995), where they were fighting over the nine proposed Mass Transit Rail Lines. In the end he said that anyone who can get the finance can make a bid for any of the nine lines. Only Tanayong was able to find the funding. Tanayong, which later became BTS Group, took over the routes of the Lavalin Skytrain which included the Rama IV line from Phrakanong to Morchit.

[kiwikeith]

Bye Bye Thailand bye bye whinging falang tourists , Hello Chailand!

[waldroj]

And Laos has agreed to this too?

[dageurreotype]

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.

Hopefully

[stickylies]

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

Ah TVF. They hate Thai, Chinese, Muslims, Nigerians, ...

I like some good old spitting on the floor while eating.

[Srikcir]

"an obstacle to the project is public encroachment upon the State Railway of Thailand's land."

That's a minor issue, especially since Prayut can bypass all legal proceedings by invoking Article 44.

The main reason for delay of construction has been on the Thai government's part.

First, in February 2015 the government asked China to ease its loan conditions for the construction of Thailand’s first standard-gauge railway, reasoning that the proposed lending rate is too high when compared with rate offered by Japan.

Second, in September 2015 bilateral talks have found the project’s value to be 20-30% higher than the Thai government’s estimation.

Third, there will be another Thai-Chinese round of meetings in Beijing between 27 and 28 October to work out on the proportion the investment.

Then there is the potential for economic difficulties in China for the next 12 months that may lower its priorities for investment in the dual rail project.

It is highly unlikely construction will begin before 2016. Worse case scenario is that the project is delayed beyond 2016.

[zakk9]

And Laos has agreed to this too?

If the owners of Laos, China and Thailand, agree, I can't see that the question is relevant.

[Spleen]

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

Ah TVF. They hate Thai, Chinese, Muslims, Nigerians, ...

I like some good old spitting on the floor while eating.

Gobbing on the floor whilst eating in a "Restaurant" is par for the course in Rural china. So is toddlers with flaps on the arse of their trousers crapping on the pavement, rather than the parents buying nappies . Its an awful place where people have no regard for common decency