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

[pegman]

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?

Mate from memory it is standard gauge 1.435m but don't hold me to that its sort of been filtered from my mind

Wiki says narrow.

[joebrown]

Wasted billions while education system for millions of children is so lacking. The future of the country is in the next generation of citizens, not a bunch of trains!

Thailand spends more money on education per student than any other country. It's not about the money, it's about the All-Pass System.

Haven't you ever wondered whether all that money actually reaches the grass roots of the education system?

[joebrown]

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 ???

It'll continue to crash trains at higher speeds than it has in the past.

[overherebc]

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?

Mate from memory it is standard gauge 1.435m but don't hold me to that its sort of been filtered from my mind

Wiki says narrow.

Being serious, Google Horses As- and the Romans and shuttle booster rockets.

It is related to railway gauge and maybe based on fact, if not then it's interesting anyway.

[farcanell]

Progress... Gotta love it.

From high speed death highways to a higher speed death railway

Edited March 24, 2016 by farcanell

[phoenixdoglover]

The article fails to mention the price tag, among other omissions.

NNT - The Official News of Thailand!

You write the copy;

We'll butcher the translation.

[bheard]

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

Actually not good for the country. Who will travel on this train? Only people with plenty of money.

What the country needs is an expanded rail system that works well and provides transport for all Thai people and freight.

What it does not need is a few fast trains which cost vast amounts of money.

[farcanell]

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?

Mate from memory it is standard gauge 1.435m but don't hold me to that its sort of been filtered from my mind

Wiki says narrow.

Wiki does in deed...

Narrow gauge at 3 foot 6.... Metric conversion... 1.067

By comparison, standard gauge is 4 foot 81/2... Metric conversion... 1.435

New heavier rail roads are going out to 1.600

[tuanku]

trains traveling up to 250 kilometers per hour,

For those who believe in significant numbers (most of the Thais i know)

this is the speed Jenphop "killer" Benz was doing............hope there is a better outcome here.

[farcanell]

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 ?????

Friction, heat and weight on the top of the rail will cause damage to the top skin of the rail ( from expansion and contraction) ....Which is but one reason that rail crews and inspectors are employed... Other common issues deal with partial subsidence ( resulting in excessive tilting, esp on bends) and spreading of rails (resulting in derailing).

So undoubtedly, Thai rail will employ a horde of highly qualified rail line inspectors to ensure you a pleasant and safe travel experience... Enjoy.

As solid as they may seem, bearers and rails need constant monitoring and occasional replacement

[klauskunkel]

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 ???

give directions to Korat

[Pdavies99]

If you read past info, you will see the real reason for Thai only funding is because China and others are not funding any new projects! They are unsure of Thailand!

[soalbundy]

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

by not buying the submarines that they don't need

[bazza40]

I'm not aware the rail system in Bangkok is inefficient, or falling to pieces. In fact, a lot of Victorians ( Australia ) wish their railway system was half as good. Don't get me started on the Myki ticketing system there. I feel sorry for any tourist in Melbourne that attempts to use public transport.

While I know Thai-bashing is a popular sport among all the super-intelligent falangs, perhaps it would be wiser to let the Thais get on with it, and see what the outcome is.

[Stevemercer]

I doubt Thailand will go the high tech very fast train route (>200 km/hr). It will just be a fast train (up to 150 km/hr) which is achievable with quite modest technology. It just needs a straight, well constructed double track, proper management of rail traffic and tilt trains.

[soalbundy]

I picked my wife up from the station last night, she was coming back to Surin from BKK, the train was two hours late, i asked the guy selling tickets in a friendly manner how this was possible, he shrugged his shoulders and laughed,''I don't know, it just happens''

[trainman34014]

The Guy is a classic Thai dreamer, there are millions of them. He takes one ride on a Japanese Bullet Train and another on a Chinese job, gets all excited and thereafter dreams of having one of his own as a legacy to his beloved Fatherland.

There are two kinds of people on this Planet...the dreamers and the doers and the only thing this Guy has ever done is shout at people for a living. His problem is that shouting at people doesn't get railways built !

[The Deerhunter]

"with discussions on investment and funds to commence in July" and yet ... "Gen Prayuth affirmed that China would not be investing in the railway"

There appears to be a basic contradiction, within the same brief article ?

Also that the OP describes this as a high-speed route from Bangkok to Nakorn Ratchatsima, the picture shows a passenger-train, yet the Chinese proposal is surely a medium-speed freight-route from Laem Chabang to the north of Bangkok, and on to the border with Laos & northwards to southern-China, it's almost as though the PM is discussing something totally different here ?

Well I'm getting more and more confused at every stage of this. This totally conflicts with what i understand from other sources. So, where did this BKK - N.R. (Korat) train deal suddenly spring from? I am sure it is not what was being discussed a few months ago in the high speed - medium-high-speed discussions that involved China then Japan, not China and then with a side bet in Korea last week. Then the route was to be Eastern Seaboard to Nong Khai to meet up with Trains from China via Luang Prabang and Vientiane. Was this all from a book written by Lewis Carroll?

[peter48]

With Thai H & S one of the global worst. I will catch something else. Thai drivers on advanced trains will those be the ex-mini bus ones or the big bus ones

[Lannig]

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.

Well, so does the TGV in France.

I suspect that these extra 50km/h cost a lot, really. Especially the tracks and all the power feeding infrastructure. So IMO it makes sense for a developing country to target more affordable technology. 250km/h isn't bad, really, for a country the size of Thailand.

Whatever... even at those speeds, it won't be cheap and like a former poster I'm not sure I'll see any of these trains in my lifetime.

[Deez]

China balked at the 40% (special fee) on top of the cost...

[tom21]

reading the op does not make sense so I will just wait and see

[Brer Fox]

Wasted billions while education system for millions of children is so lacking. The future of the country is in the next generation of citizens, not a bunch of trains!

Thailand spends more money on education per student than any other country. It's not about the money, it's about the All-Pass System.

I seriously doubt that bit about Thailand spending more money on education than anywhere else in the world. Evidence please! From what I hear there is more money paid in bribes within the education system than there is spent on educating the children.

[NCFC]

Sounds like a populist policy to me.

[Brer Fox]

I picked my wife up from the station last night, she was coming back to Surin from BKK, the train was two hours late, i asked the guy selling tickets in a friendly manner how this was possible, he shrugged his shoulders and laughed,''I don't know, it just happens''

Only two hours late. Relax, the high speed trains will only be half as late as the normal trains.

[TPI]

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

I really think that they're going to use the money they get from "Poo" to pay for the construction! There's nowwhere else as the cupboard is bare!

[Brer Fox]

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.

The Chinese are not stupid. They know that Thai workers would be lazy layabouts with poor quality workmanship. Something that was discussed in another forum about the Japanese having no confidence in them.

[soalbundy]

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

I really think that they're going to use the money they get from "Poo" to pay for the construction! There's nowwhere else as the cupboard is bare!

They can and will save money on maintenance, it's a new line,a new train, no need to do anything until the first accident

[farcanell]

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.

Well, so does the TGV in France.

I suspect that these extra 50km/h cost a lot, really. Especially the tracks and all the power feeding infrastructure. So IMO it makes sense for a developing country to target more affordable technology. 250km/h isn't bad, really, for a country the size of Thailand.

Whatever... even at those speeds, it won't be cheap and like a former poster I'm not sure I'll see any of these trains in my lifetime.

Germany runs standard gauge tracks at 1.435m and its trains can max out at 320 kph

Thailand is also running on 1.435 m track, and there are claims that while normally operating at 250 km, they will also be attempting speeds of up to 300 km were conditions permit ( newly constructed lines)

Due to the fact that existing rail line will be used, were possible, some sections will be unable to cope with faster speeds, for example,... Around existing sharper curves.

Cheers

[1sickpuppy]

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

Agreed. If they got the cash for this, why not set up some 'high speed' water management projects instead?

They have already, it is called Songkhram & it also helps the drought, TIT say no more,