China should invest more in Thailand rail project, minister says
BY PAIRAT TEMPHAIROJANA AND PANARAT THEPGUMPANAT

BANGKOK: -- China should supply the bulk of the investment needed for a planned railway from the Thai-Laos border to the Gulf of Thailand as the project will benefit Beijing, Thailand's transport minister said.

The proposed line, part of China's efforts to expand infrastructure in Southeast Asia, would cover 845 kilometers from the Thai-Laos border to Thailand's industrial seaboard along the Gulf of Thailand.

Thai Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith told Reuters on Monday that China and Thailand were still negotiating a 60:40 shareholding plan, and that the railway would be a high-speed one, rather than mid-speed as originally discussed.

Full story: http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-china-railway-idUSKCN0W33D8


-- Reuters 2016-03-01

Arkhom said China wants Thailand to finalize the rail deal quickly before any change of Thai government will disrupt the project...

What an honest statement to satisfy your investment partners....

Seems fair to me. If China are just using Thai....land for their benefit let them pay the bulk of it.

Hasn't Thaksin already been apprised of the project ? Who else is there that can disrupt the project ?

....and Mark Zuckerberg should give Kanye West 1 Billion Dollars.....I will settle for 1 Million....okay 100,000......anyone else ???

Hasn't Thaksin already been apprised of the project ? Who else is there that can disrupt the project ?

Uhmmm...the next elected government in 2017? It might not have the same priorities as the Prayut regime.

And perhaps the military might find itself locked out of any financial benefits such a line might bring.

They are running out of Dollars. Would you accept Renminbi?

Still plenty of words flying but no dirt flying !

"from the Thai-Laos border to Thailand's industrial seaboard along the Gulf of Thailand "

"... the railway would be a high-speed one, rather than mid-speed as originally discussed ".

High speed freight trains? This should be interesting. Is HST defined in Thailand, or do they consider the present railway system "mid-speed"?

The project is almost entirely for the benefit of China. From the building contractors to the

equipment, to who the rail line will service. Thailand's contribution is the land rights. Thailand

should get 60% and China should finance the whole thing.

Seems fair to me. If China are just using Thai....land for their benefit let them pay the bulk of it.

It seems I read in one of the newspapers that they tried to negotiate a little extra around the tracks for Chinese businesses to set up shop. They want to own you body and soul.

Thailands idea in all of these projects, also if foreigners or foreign companies open a business is: others are financing, taking the risk and Thailand just take the benifit and if possible as much pribes as they can get out of a project. And thats it.

We also know it thais are maintaining "something" it won't last long!!!!!!!!!!!

So China is doing the right way! Others should follow and show Thailand what is their position in these huge projects: bla bla bla bla.....