Govt going ahead with high-speed railway plan

[rooster59]

Govt going ahead with high-speed railway plan

By The Nation

 

File photo: Government Spokesman Lt-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd

 

The government has affirmed its plans to invest in high-speed railway projects connecting Thailand and neighboring countries as part of its regional connectivity development plan.

 

Responding to criticism from politicians on the high-speed railway plan, Government Spokesman Lt-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd said on Saturday the government put more attention on a connectivity development plan involving 10 Asean countries.

 

The connectivity includes people, infrastructure, regulations, and all cooperation, especially the connection of transport development along with domestic readiness, he said. 

 

“Every process is in keeping with our plan on connecting Thailand with other countries. But all investments must take into account national interest, the benefits to our people and its potential,” he said.

 

He said this year the government planned to invest in four high-speed rail lines. They are Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima in cooperation with China, Bangkok-Phitsanulok in cooperation with Japan, Bangkok-Rayong, and Bangkok-Hua Hin. 

 

The Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima line will be extended to Nong Khai to connect to Laos, China, and Europe, he said. 

 

Moreover, the Ministry of Transport is also studying the feasibility of a Bangkok-Kuala Lumpur line, Sansern said. 

 

The Transport and Traffic Policy Plan Office will soon propose an electrified dual-track railway project from Hat Yai to Padang Besar for consideration by the Ministry of Transport and Cabinet.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30310297

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-03-26

[ratcatcher]

They said this 3 years ago. High speed trains by 2020. Better get a move on then.

The government spokesman does look somewhat bored...........

[optad]

Country desperately needs the infrastructure. Appears the bureaucrats needed some time to organise their splits.

 

 

[colinneil]

Looking at the photo suggests, i am not to happy about my cut from this scheme.

[ChrisY1]

No matter whether an elected government or a bunch of AJs, none of them can get together and plan anything properly......3 years ago, HS and double track railways were going to start....to date nothing has been done...we don't even know if any survey has been carried out....let alone plans for EIA,  land aquisition, engineering and design.....!

 

[Sphere]

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

feasibility of a Bangkok-Kuala Lumpur line

Absolutely nothing wrong with the current set-up.....take train from KL to Padang Besar.....enter time-machine.....punch-in any date from the early 1900's and voila......your'e on your way to Bangkok....

 

[worgeordie]

Please,please, have secure railway crossings,secure in a way

that cars ,trucks,motorbikes have no way at all to go around

the gates,or you know what's going to happen.

regards worgeordie

[boomerangutang]

Thailand is like the family with $200 lottery win which, instead of buying some needed food, instead go out an buys an expensive toy train set at the shopping mall.

 

Improve infrastructure, yes, but do it according to budget realities.   Good quality non-high-speed train system would probably cost less than half of a high-speed system.  Why high speed?  To get from Bkk to Kon Kaen in 1.5 hours instead of 2?     

 

I have friends here in Chiang Rai who can't afford Bt.300/month to pay for ride-sharing for their 6 and 9 year old daughters to go the 3 km from their hill tribe to the local school.   So they're opting not to send their kids to school.   Meanwhile, the non-elected generals who took over Thailand are spending tens of billions of baht on 3 submarines and a super-duper-high-speed train systems.

[steven100]

Good for Thailand ....  good for thousands of jobs ....

The Junta is committed to the development of Thailand.

Thank you Khun Prayuth Chan-O-Cha  

[darksidedog]

I hope the drivers of these things will pay more attention to what is going on than the drivers on the bloody roads do.

[chainarong]

Is it  high speed or standard gage speed , the mean average profit for High speed is not any longer than 3 hrs,  mind U only one H/S track in China has ever made a profit , all the rest are non profit or in some case lemons, you wouldn't get a H/S through Lao up into China then into Europe you'd get a standard Gage though, H/S track laying costs and rolling stock are about 20 million USD for every 1 Kilometer for China , 35 Million for Europe and 50 Million for US and OZ, on a Prayut transparency government to government agreement that's a lot of rice.................................................... 

[chainarong]

2 hours ago, optad said:

Country desperately needs the infrastructure. Appears the bureaucrats needed some time to organise their splits.

 

 

High speed trains isn't in the true context infrastructure, they only carry passengers, no freight,  you need fast freighters carrying 100T each wagon at 150.  

[leeneeds]

I wonder if you buy one train and get one for free 

deal is being dangled by our neighbors,

 

[clockman]

Thailand always wants to run before it can walk!

[boomerangutang]

Thailand could be the first country in the world to get a train to run on DC (batteries) - powered by solar.  Of course, I jest.  Thailand is never at the vanguard of innovation or technology.  

[whoareyou]

I hope the drivers of these things will pay more attention to what is going on than the drivers on the bloody roads do.

Not at all. The BTS and MRT system is fantastic. Light years ahead of most first world countries

[Destiny1990]

Seems a more safe journey than a ride in the back of a mini van.

[williamgeorgeallen]

4 hours ago, ratcatcher said:

They said this 3 years ago. High speed trains by 2020. Better get a move on then.

The government spokesman does look somewhat bored...........

after 3 years they were probably banking on everyone forgetting about the last announcement. get a bit tired of hearing about these projects that are going to happen. i am still quite impressed the tunnel in pattaya is almost complete and thats a small project compared to these rail projects. have to wonder with all the foreign manufacturers no longer investing in thailand if there will be any goods to move around thailand  in a few years.

[hansnl]

I doubt if after investing a huge amount of money into the existing rail system by way of upgrading and double tracking, it is wise and prudent to spend another lot of money on another rail system mostly running parallel with the existing, just upgraded rail system.

I guess a two system rail transport will mean both systems will never make any profit, at all.

Besides, is there really a market for the high-speed lines, seen the abundance of air transport?

Even in France the high speed lines could only work after cutting down the standard speed lines in a very drastic way.

Edited March 26, 2017 by hansnl

[impulse]

Remind me, what mode of infrastructure was used as a pretext to set off the conflict for last century's Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere?  

 

And what 2 countries were involved in the start of that little kerfuffle?

[sanukjim]

5 hours ago, ratcatcher said:

They said this 3 years ago. High speed trains by 2020. Better get a move on then.

The government spokesman does look somewhat bored...........

They are waiting for someone else to pay for it while also figuring out how to rake off several billion baht for themselfs.

[wvavin]

A country that could not even covered fully with 4G and needs a high speed train. LOL..........

[impulse]

I always wonder how high speed rail will hold up if terrorism increases.  

 

With airplanes, you just have to defend the endpoints, because it takes some pretty high tech to knock down a plane at 30,000 feet from the ground.

 

Any goober with a $100 welding torch can knock out a high speed train anywhere along the line.

[tbthailand]

could we just go for dual-track first, please?  

[kannot]

5 hours ago, ratcatcher said:

They said this 3 years ago. High speed trains by 2020. Better get a move on then.

The government spokesman does look somewhat bored...........

Actually for the last 10  months on a  quiet rural road near me middle of nowhere (Sam RoiYot) there is the railway line, narrow  gauge, and they have been  putting in ENORMOUS footings for what will be a large road bridge for cars to cross over this new  railway.

So work on  this  project has begun at least a  year ago now, about 3  years ago they started  erecting metal fencing  along all the line by me too in preparation for this so they have been  doing this for quite some time.

Judging by this bridge I doubt there will be ANY level crossings as  many Thais are  too stupid to wait for the barrier to even go up and so they will avoid these moronic "jumpers" totally.

[Confuscious]

Do you mean that there is still enough money left for a high speed railway?
Or are they going to scrap the submarines deal?
 

[klauskunkel]

"But all investments must take into account blah, blah, blah and its potential"

 

the potential for... monkey business?

[RandG]

32 minutes ago, wvavin said:

A country that could not even covered fully with 4G and needs a high speed train. LOL..........

How many "western countries" have 100% 4G? None I have ever visited.

[ebean001]

A key question I have is where does Chiang Mai fit in?

[HHTel]

3 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Please,please, have secure railway crossings,secure in a way

that cars ,trucks,motorbikes have no way at all to go around

the gates,or you know what's going to happen.

regards worgeordie

High speed trains were always planned to be elevated.  They couldn't possibly work on ground level.