Why Are You Even Here? The Surprising Attitudes of Some Expats in Thailand

[webfact]

HIGH-SPEED TRAIN

Sino-Thai rail to open bids in Nov

The Nation
 

Critics say initial cost of Bt179.4 bn to cover 3.5km was not worth it; Arkhom says construction to begin by December

 

BANGKOK: -- The first phase of the Thailand-China high-speed train project would cost Bt179.41 billion, but the construction work would cover only 3.5 kilometres, which critics said was useless and slammed the project as unfeasible.

Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith yesterday led the Thai delegation to the 14th meeting in Bangkok of the Thai-Chinese steering committee for cooperation on development of the high-speed train project in Bangkok.

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Sino-Thai-rail-to-open-bids-in-Nov-30295904.html

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2016-09-22

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Is that 179 million THB per meter for this project or am I wrong? Is the track gold plated?

[Chris Lawrence]

Go on, give to the nephew.

[edwinchester]

Over 50 million bht per metre of track?

[SABloke]

$5 Billion for 2 miles of track. Nice

Surely it must be the often made "billion for million" swap made by local journos. Surely...if not...wel <deleted> me

[Brer Fox]

Money is no problem. Submarines, u-beaut trains, tanks, army construction projects, you name it - no worries! Just crank up the printing presses while making sure the baht remains set to it's present high value.

[Ulic]

Something is lost in translation. It is not possible to be this expensive per meter.  

Edited September 22, 2016 by Ulic

[Srikcir]

24 minutes ago, Ulic said:

Something is lost in translation. It is not possible to be this expensive per meter.  

The first phase of the project between Bangkok and Kaeng Khoi covers a distance of 133 km.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/855525-construction-of-bangkok-kaeng-khoi-railway-project-faces-delay/

Maybe the initial construction work will only cover 3.5 km?

[trainman34014]

They still don't 'get it' as far as the cost of new railways are concerned.   Costs are rising by the hour and they've spent a lot of hours talking out of their anal passages.

 

IF such a railway is ever built it will put the country in debt for the next five generations....and that's just for the price of building it.   Then we come to the small matters of running it and maintaining it to the highest safety standards; not exactly area's where Thai's excel.    The mind boggles at the cost of a ticket for the average Somchai, because there won't be any freebies like there is on the scrap metal bone shakers they run now.

 

Someone with half a brain needs to scrap the whole idea of this type of project and start issuing orders to design and build a decent Standard Guage twin track system linking the major points in the country.   Forget what the Chinese want unless they want to pay for it all themselves.

[mike324]

its not that the track is expensive, bet its the land they will be purchasing...thats where the money is funnel into

[Brer Fox]

3 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

They still don't 'get it' as far as the cost of new railways are concerned.   Costs are rising by the hour and they've spent a lot of hours talking out of their anal passages.

 

IF such a railway is ever built it will put the country in debt for the next five generations....and that's just for the price of building it.   Then we come to the small matters of running it and maintaining it to the highest safety standards; not exactly area's where Thai's excel.    The mind boggles at the cost of a ticket for the average Somchai, because there won't be any freebies like there is on the scrap metal bone shakers they run now.

 

Someone with half a brain needs to scrap the whole idea of this type of project and start issuing orders to design and build a decent Standard Guage twin track system linking the major points in the country.   Forget what the Chinese want unless they want to pay for it all themselves.

No going back now. So much preparation work has already been done.

Bagmen have been recruited, deeper and wider hip pockets have been sewn into trousers, extra quantities of envelopes have been produced and are in store ready for distribution, deposits have been paid on imported cars, overseas bank accounts have been opened and family travel bookings made. Have I missed anything?