PM Prayut reveals high speed rail link to be funded by Thai government alone

[Kabula]

I look forward to seeing it completed. However, I'm concerned about derailments at those speeds. I hope they construct steel reinforced, concrete walls, with 6 inches of space, between the safety wall and the train, while still keeping the window views. If there is a derailment the cars will not roll over across the fields, bridges, or city streets. I've seen high speed trains with 1/4 walls on each side of the cars in other countries.

[mogo51]

This will end up bankrupting the country. How the hell are they gonna pay for this?

I'm dreamin, dreamin my life away!!!! You were right Cliff.

[wabothai]

Hands off general, it is up to the citizens of Thailand whether they want a fast train or not. Grandeur will cost you dearly.

They might want to give priority to other things, like better education, a better water system and better financial care for the elderly, just to mention a few.

[Ulic]

I shake my head, what is wrong with a safe, reliable, efficient, cost effective, two track

system for Thailand. Walk before you run my little padawan.

[klauskunkel]

The prime minister assured that the Ministry of Finance has confirmed the nation has the funds to complete the project

and the Ministry of Justice has confirmed there is justice in Thailand

and the Ministry of Commerce has confirmed that foreign investor confidence his high

and the Ministry of Education has confirmed that the average IQ of students continues to soar

and the Ministry of Labor has confirmed there is no shortage of skilled workers in Thailand

and the Ministry of Tourism has confirmed that tourist are the safest in Thailand

...

and the Ministry of BS has confirmed that everything is BS

[waldroj]

Following the lead of KKUP (#16 above):

[Robbie Dye]

Stick the car purchase tax up from 300 to 400% ??

[Dakling]

How about take this money to improve existing rail lines, add/improve rail lines to container ports, establish container handling yards at the larger Issan cities and the border crossings to Laos and Cambodia. Then ensure the transport rates are low enough that a majority of the current heavy truck traffic is reallocated to rail transport. This would greatly reduce the amount of non-agricultural heavy traffic from the roads reducing bus and passenger vehicle travel times while improving road safety. It would also reduce the damage to road surfaces that is currently being done by overloaded trucks.

In all honesty how many Thais headed home to Issan for songkran will be able to afford a high speed rail ticket and how many wealthy Thais go to Korat?

[FredNL]

To finance it, they just seized the first 300 million THB...

Link: 74kg of ice worth 300 million baht seized on train south of Hua Hin

Edited March 24, 2016 by FredNL

[Eric Loh]

This will end up bankrupting the country. How the hell are they gonna pay for this

It is only about 500 B Bt and with budget already in deficit, I guess it will be an off budget loan. Unless the loan is syndicated by Thai banks and in local currency, it will have to borrow off-shore and left to the mercy of fluctuating currency rates just like 1997. It will also increase the debt to GDP ratio and hope it will not create a loss in our credit rating. There must be good reasons why China drop this project suddenly.

[bark]

any mention of Thai bus drivers being hired to drive the trains?

RIP Mr. High Speed Rail Link. We Hardly Knew Ye.

China only contributing to its construction and setting up the route’s technology. What will Thailand do ???

[Enoon]

To speculate on 2 queries raised in preceeding posts:

1. Why discussions in July about finance?

No money from China, we will start thinking then how we get the money to fulfill the answer to query 2.

2. What will be the route now?

Bangkok - Korat.

To save face we've got to build something (and present it as a great technical achievement and co-operative project with China) so even if we can't get any foreign investment we might be able to afford that symbolic section by cutting budgets for everything else.

Possibly on hold until July so as to give time for the big event, which will require everyone respectfully sitting on hands for a year, by which time it will have been forgotten and/or other events will be preoccupying the nation.

[ironbark]

I think an even more basic question needs to be answered first.

"Is the proposed line meant to be predominately a freight line or a passanger line". The line is ultimately going to connect to a line through Laos to China.

From an economic conference I went to in Kunming a number of years ago China sees ports, rail and road infrastructure in Laos Thailand and Cambodia critical to its long term plan to expand its market in SE Asia. It has already lent many billions of dollars to Laos and Cambodia.

Is there really a need for a high speed passenger service to China. Who would use it, Thai or Chinese? A high speed passenger service has fares not much less than air fares and stations hundreds of km apart in major urban centres only. Is the Thai middle class large enough to make such a service profitable.? I think not yet. I think the rail would only be economic if it were predominately transporting long distance goods which means a major expansion of Chinese trade and all the economic implications for that. It also proscribes the type of rail technology used and freighting goods long distance dont need "bullet trains".

[dirtycash]

what has happened to all the talk about bkk - pattaya high speed train ?

[dominique355]

Funded by "the Thai government "? You probably mean "by the Thai taxpayer", who BTW has no saying here.

[Srikcir]

China would not be investing in the railway and would only be contributing to its construction and technological installations.

After the Prayut government's fiasco of being unable to finalize costs and financing for the Chinese dual rail project after more than ten negotiating meetings over a two-year period, the Chinese probably insisted on a more risk-free arrangement with the Prayut regime in this high speed project. And it comes with no surprise that the Prayut government isn't going to share the cost with private investors - they're gone!

[TonyHanscomb]

This will end up bankrupting the country. How the hell are they gonna pay for this?

They have lots of money since they stopped the corruption.

[yimlitnoy]

This will end up bankrupting the country. How the hell are they gonna pay for this?

Can't you read? "The prime minister assured that the Ministry of Finance has confirmed the nation has the funds to complete the project,". Would you rather borrow from the Chinese government?

I would rather see this government complete all projects themselves at their own pace.

[Lannig]

I'm really wondering who would be the targeted customers for such a train.

Due to the enormous amount of money it will cost in investments, I'm guessing that ticket prices aren't going to be cheap. Operation and maintenance are going to be costly too. With trains speeding at 250km/h, no corners can be cut or it will be a massacre. Operating costs will be higher if run by the a government company.

Same kind of situation with the TGV here in France.

So: poor people will still take buses or coaches because it's way cheaper. Wealthy people will still prefer riding their Ford Everest or flying. Trains are not fashionable anyway.

Edited March 24, 2016 by Lannig

[GeorgesAbitbol]

So there will be no foreign investor to complain about the draft

[taony]

When I road my bicycle over the SRT track at yammarat yesterday, a top layer of one of the rails was peeling off. I had always assumed a rail was one solid piece.

[ChrisY1]

I look forward to using the service once

and then see what ticket prices settle at,

joining the mile long club may be a quick affair,

I don't think I'll be around when this white elephant get's going.....in fact, I don't think it ever will get going!!

[gandalf12]

Queensland Rail's tilt train is currently the fastest train in Australia and the fastest 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge train in the world, setting a record at 210 km/h, with standard operating speeds 160 km/h - is this new rail line going to be some kind of record-breaking technological marvel, or are they going to build it standard gauge?

And they are letting the Chines build it? That has to be a joke

[Bangkok Barry]

Queensland Rail's tilt train is currently the fastest train in Australia and the fastest 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge train in the world, setting a record at 210 km/h, with standard operating speeds 160 km/h - is this new rail line going to be some kind of record-breaking technological marvel, or are they going to build it standard gauge?

Trains in Germany travel at 300 kph. I don't know what gauge they use - standard European whatever that is.

From Google: The Intercity-Express (ICE). The fastest breed of DB Bahn trains in Germany and Europe. The Intercity-Express (ICE) is the fastest and most comfortable way to travel on the DB Bahn network, reaching speeds of up to 300 km/h, and new standards of excellence.

Which means, of course, that Thailand's high-speed train service will still be slower and many years behind Europe. And by the time it's built the difference will possibly be even greater. Where the world leads, Thailand follows.

[Pib]

Guess this means Thailand could not convince China to give a close to zero interest loan and Thailand also didn't want to give China any property rights along the line.

I expect the line will take much, much longer to complete than expected and may never be completed....or completed as a low speed line. Remember the billions upon billions of baht that was supposed to be spent on water construction projects--that grand plan also is taking much longer and much less is being spent.

[Waldkater41]

Woow, really great. People don't have water, mostly horrible roads outside of BKK, but Thailand needs a Highspeed train.

[tartempion]

Sungai Kolok to Bangkok to Nong Khai dual track, that's what Thailand needs.

120kmh would be fine. Expected when?

Edited March 24, 2016 by tartempion

[overherebc]

I do not really see why everyone is so negative, this can only be good for the country.

Asking this in the nicest possible way, Have you ever been involved in QC ( quality control ) when it comes to Chinese technology ?

[overherebc]

When I road my bicycle over the SRT track at yammarat yesterday, a top layer of one of the rails was peeling off. I had always assumed a rail was one solid piece.

Chinese steel ?????

[Dtaw]

Article says Chinese will work on the construction of it. That means that Thailand will be employing hundreds and possibly thousands of Chinese from China to come work in Thailand. Idiots.