Govt going ahead with high-speed railway plan

[ratcatcher]

12 minutes ago, chainarong said:

Yeah I know what gage Thailand is 3ft 6ins,  referred to as narrow gage , standard gage is 4ft 8 ins, I also know what they have in England , I also have worked on heavy haul Loco's, 200 in length.

I also have worked on heavy haul Loco's, 200 in length.

So, presumably, like me, you are an ex railroader?  Heavy -haul? Australia?

[kannot]

45 minutes ago, sanukjim said:

Immagine that it could be in the headlines in the future in Thailand " Two High Speed trains end on the same track,in Thailand ,colliding at a 400 mile per hour impact.". "The first four cars of each train seem to have merged into a molten mass."

brakes failed???, they wont be able to use hill to steep.

[captspectre]

In your dreams! they cannot even maintain their current railway system! how on earth arethey going to advance into the 20th century? not even the Japanese could help them. I will be long gone before they even try this .

[chainarong]

34 minutes ago, ratcatcher said:

I also have worked on heavy haul Loco's, 200 in length.

So, presumably, like me, you are an ex railroader?  Heavy -haul? Australia?

Rail and mining career Ratcatcher

[chainarong]

4 hours ago, pegman said:

150 what, Km's? Never heard of that. Where?

The speedy unit ( Rail car) to my home town in OZ gets up to 170 clicks  , freighters do 110 clicks, freight speed at one time  was governed by insurance companies, on the side of wagons you'd see 100 stamped, premiums spiraled after 100 , that's now a thing of the past with privatization. A high speed train does up around 380 -  420 clicks on a special made track something Thailand can't afford not with those new subs on order..................... 

[elgordo38]

11 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...........

Just an update on how "wisely" they are going to spend tax dollars. As the song goes "I've been workin on the railroad all my live long day"

[nev]

All those saying it will never happen, it is well under way in Khonkaen, ground work in place all through Khonkaen and the concrete supports for the raised lines going in now.

They have also started to knockdown the old railway station and have built a temporary one.

The back of our village where it goes through have had land reclaimed to build fly over road bridges, and we had a visit from the railway authority to discuss the reclaiming of the land.

[elgordo38]

2 hours ago, JAG said:

         

 

Which twin is the Toni?

Is the top picture from "Dad's Army"? Do I get a prize?

[JAG]

Is the top picture from "Dad's Army"? Do I get a prize?

 

Sighs for effect. And I thought you were such a sophisticated fellow - a veritable Renaissance Man!

Google "Corris Railway locomotives on the Tallyllin Railway."

Tongue in cheek- they're even older than you!

[emoji4][emoji4]

 

Steam reigns supreme!

 

[trainman34014]

Every few months the railway subject comes up only because someone asks a question about why it's not happening.   Tune in after a few more months and read episode 96 for more bullshit.

 

Unless someone else comes up with a very large donation (and perhaps even a proper detailed plan) there will be no HST.    Still; it matters not to the Ministerial Muppets , as the Air Force has its new prangable Grippen's,  the Navy is getting its Submarine's and the Army will get new Russian built Tanks,  so all the boys 'running' the country, (and i say that loosely), have got or are getting their new toys.    Just a few more years emptying the till and they will be ready to give up power and get on with busting up all the new goodies ! 

 

[whoareyou]

How can you say that?  In my city, Montreal, Canada, we have a great subway system that connects to city buses.

Relax dude. I didn't say all countries

[dinsdale]

14 hours ago, rooster59 said:

all investments must take into account national interest, the benefits to our people and its potential

A bit off topic but how does Bt36 billion baht for 3 subs benefit the people. It doesn't. Subs, Chinese. Rail, Chinese. Billions of Thai peoples money for the Chinese. Taxes up, up up and up. And how many fat cats pockets get fatter? For the people? Sure.

[rmacee]

These military guys are 'impressive' with knowledge of a government and strategic nature!!  ..Lt. General ..not a democratic Minister for Transport with a strategy !!!

[Dumbastheycome]

8 hours ago, kannot said:

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.

There is  much being done quietly that is not heralded in the media. Regardless of opinion as to the  effective outcome  from what I  have observed is  that almost  all do have obvious logical infrastructural potential. In the  question of  high speed  rail  I  have  not seen  any definitive time frame despite the promise.

It  may be   case of " as and  when required" but in the  mean time practical  long term  improvements  are  being  made?

[Dumbastheycome]

16 minutes ago, rmacee said:

These military guys are 'impressive' with knowledge of a government and strategic nature!!  ..Lt. General ..not a democratic Minister for Transport with a strategy !!!

When  an Army is  mobilized do they ask the  Minister of Transport on how  to get from A to B ? And   what  qualifies  a  Minister of Transport?

[elgordo38]

3 hours ago, nev said:

All those saying it will never happen, it is well under way in Khonkaen, ground work in place all through Khonkaen and the concrete supports for the raised lines going in now.

They have also started to knockdown the old railway station and have built a temporary one.

The back of our village where it goes through have had land reclaimed to build fly over road bridges, and we had a visit from the railway authority to discuss the reclaiming of the land.

When they get a bee in their bonnet its gung ho and away we go. They seem to have a fits and farts sorry starts approach to thinking/ doing. This may go on for a while and then they will put their feet up and declare a siesta/fiesta. Its a cyclical approach to things. I have seen some of these efforts approach the "turn green" with age stage. 

[elgordo38]

2 hours ago, JAG said:

 

Sighs for effect. And I thought you were such a sophisticated fellow - a veritable Renaissance Man!

Google "Corris Railway locomotives on the Tallyllin Railway."

Tongue in cheek- they're even older than you!

 

Steam reigns supreme!

 

Like gold I am usually 99.9% in the money. I do have some days when I am off by a hair. I strive for perfection but alas do not always succeed. I am glad your out there to watch over me Effendi. 

[elgordo38]

19 hours ago, optad said:

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

 

 

Yes they need the infrastructure but this is a big leap like from the motorbike to shiny new cars. We all know how this has worked out. Double tracking and other more cautious steps would bear more fruit. They will need some real sophisticated tracking to carry this bullet. Its not the cost of the train so much as the high tech tracks to carry it. If it ever comes to fruitation and jumps the tracks Thailand will definitely have a space program. I guess we in Chiang Mai will be left by the side of the road with our thumbs out trying to hitch a ride. Yes this is not Bangkok.

[ttrd]

18 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

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.....!

 

If things are mentioned or said many times unfortunately it often ends as the reality and the thrut even it isn`t and never was...

 

Here is what actually has been said in this matter and the processing history;

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

In October 2010, the Thai parliament approved initial proposals for a high speed rail (HSR) network. Five lines capable of handling 250 km/h speeds would radiate from Bangkok.

 

In March 2013, the transport minister revealed that only one company would be selected to run all high-speed train routes, scheduled to be operational between 2018 and 2019

 

READ MORE;

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-speed_rail_in_Thailand#cite_note-2

 

 

[Henryford]

19 hours ago, whoareyou said:

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

But it's in Bangkok, nothing exists outside of Bangkok does it.

[scotchonrocks]

HS rail works when you have busy established traffic (existing air road or rail) corridors within a fairly tight range of dense destination centres of 100-500 miles. There are many drivers and time and power use efficiencies are signifcant considerations. Another important factor is GDP which has to be sufficient to get the economics working without overblown subsidies.  From my gauging Thailand does not meet any of these metrics. So the whole plan is flawed from day one.

For those interested, this link is to a good paper on the topic, a study based on the US but equally applicable to assess any market for this transport method. 

 

http://www.america2050.org/pdf/Where-HSR-Works-Best.pdf

Edited March 27, 2017 by scotchonrocks
Typo and grammar

[boomerangutang]

23 hours ago, steven100 said:

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

The Junta is committed to the development of Thailand.

Thank you Khun Prayuth Chan-O-Cha  

        To praise the junta for creating jobs via the speedo train project, that's, well......, That's Trump's way of creating jobs:   Using taxpayer and/or borrowed money to pay for jobs.  I too could create jobs if the government gave me taxpayer money - to the tune of $300,000 per job.  Heck, I'll give the government a bargain, I'll do it for 10% less!   I'll create 100 new jobs for $29,000,000.  Aren't I great?

 

         Also, most of the loans for the speedo train will come from Chinese banks.   What's the collateral?  Thailand doesn't have a good record of paying back loans.  It has defaulted on infrastructure loans in the past.  The train loans are scheduled to get repaid over 50 or 60 years.  Thailand changes administrations on average; each 2.5 years.    During the course of 24 different administrations (about a third will result from coup d'etats). will each of those 24 administrations honor the demands of the repayment of loans?  

 

         What recourse will Chinese banks have, if payments aren't on time?  Gaining ownership of vast parcels of land along the course of the train tracks?   Weirder things have happened.  It's not too outlandish, especially when considering China is voracious re; land grabs.

[whoareyou]

But it's in Bangkok, nothing exists outside of Bangkok does it.

Yes but you have to read it in the context of the post it was replied to.

It shows that thais are very capable in building advanced transport systems.

[kcpattaya]

Interesting the complete lack of "timing" here...this discussion has been on and off since the last 15 years as I recall. 

[Gerard052]

13 hours ago, whoareyou said:

Relax dude. I didn't say all countries

But you said "Light years ahead of most first world countries"  Are you back pedaling? 
 

[whoareyou]

But you said "Light years ahead of most first world countries"  Are you back pedaling? 
 

Nope

Most 1st world countries with heavy traffic do not have a sky train.

 

Sydney Australia has a pathetic version that rattles along at a snails pace. It's a first world country

 

Don't be lazy and do some research!!

 

[mike324]

On 3/26/2017 at 9:17 AM, chainarong said:

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.................................................... 

I believe their high speed is not "bullet train" speed that goes over 300 km/hr.

Their high speed meaning maximum capable of 280-300km/hr, but will run around 200-240km/hr instead.

Whereas bullet trains are capable of 380/hr but normally run around 300-340km/hr instead.

 

So building cost for high speed trains is in fact a lot lower than bullet train. I don't think the problem is with the cost, but more on the management side of things, the trains can greatly benefit the country in many ways, unlike the submarine that they want to buy.

[Gerard052]

9 hours ago, whoareyou said:

Nope

Most 1st world countries with heavy traffic do not have a sky train.

 

Sydney Australia has a pathetic version that rattles along at a snails pace. It's a first world country

 

Don't be lazy and do some research!!

 

I don't have to do any researches, the cities of Montreal, Toronto and New York have an underground system, Vancouver is above ground and I was in Sydney, Australia and never had any problems.  It doesn't have to be a Sky train to be efficient.  Maybe you should stop reading the newspapers and go find out for yourself.  I did.  

[wakeupplease]

Not in your lifetime sunshine Subs come first that is for sure. What an eye sore certain trains are, stick them underground out of the way like London did and thats on a flood plain(just encase), ahh now that a city that has beauty still

[whoareyou]

I don't have to do any researches, the cities of Montreal, Toronto and New York have an underground system, Vancouver is above ground and I was in Sydney, Australia and never had any problems.  It doesn't have to be a Sky train to be efficient.  Maybe you should stop reading the newspapers and go find out for yourself.  I did.  

Wrong wrong wrong. I lived 5 years darling Harbour Sydney. My condo was at the bts.
It did several stations looping around China town and near Grace brothers.
It's a toy covering 3% of what bangkok Sky train covers but glad you enjoyed it

So how many countries have a sky train and sleek MRT Together?

Your digging a hole but it's fun watching

Over

To

You

[emoji3]