PM: No loan to be sought from China for high-speed rail project

[webfact]

PM: No loan to be sought from China for high-speed rail project

 

 

BANGKOK, 21 June 2017 (NNT) – The Prime Minister has denied reports that the government would obtain a loan from China to implement the Thai-Chinese high-speed train project, affirming that the project is in the best interest of the nation. 

Following the Cabinet’s discussion about the high-speed railway project under the collaboration between Thailand and China, Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha clarified that the government has never planned to borrow funds from China as Thailand already has sufficient monetary reserves for the project. He said China did extend a loan offer to Thailand but only as an alternative to consider. 

Out of the budget of 174 billion baht set aside for the high-speed railway system, 130 billion baht will be spent on infrastructure and the other 40 billion on system management. The premier explained that construction will first begin on the Nakhon Ratchasima-Nong Khai section as it is deemed most ready in terms of legality. 

The Prime Minister then called on all sides to focus on the project’s future benefits for the country, insisting that it was not designed to favor any particular parties. He was adamant all concerns surrounding the project have been eased following a series of discussions. Only a few issues had to be solved through the invocation of Section 44. 

Earlier in the day, Gen Prayut also led other officials to inspect the new reception hall of Government House, located behind Thai Khu Fah Building. The reception hall, which was constructed under the Prime Minister’s initiative, is intended to serve as a place for discussions and meetings with visiting world leaders as well as for various government-sponsored activities.

 

-- nnt 2017-06-21

[steven100]

Good job Khun Prayuth Chan O Cha ....

some just want to throw mud ....  This government is good for Thailand, it has bought stability and security to the people whereas before there was fighting and mayhem.

 

 

 

[Moti24]

4 hours ago, steven100 said:

Good job Khun Prayuth Chan O Cha ....

some just want to throw mud ....  This government is good for Thailand, it has bought stability and security to the people whereas before there was fighting and mayhem.

 

 

 

Just think how stable and secure Thailand would be with 174 Billion Baht spent on upgrading hospitals and a decent education system!

Edited June 21, 2017 by Moti24

[Bluespunk]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The Prime Minister has denied reports that the government would obtain a loan from China to implement the Thai-Chinese high-speed train project, affirming that the project is in the best interest of the nation. 

Long spoons, gentlemen, long spoons...

[klauskunkel]

"Read my lips: No Loans From China."

[leeneeds]

Loan no loans ,

all private enterprise and Thai government,

power to the people , 

"nonsense you don't want the train"

44 reasons to be cheerful.

[Cadbury]

So there will be no loan from China; fair enough. So the money has to come from somewhere and presumably that will be from consolidated revenue. That too is OK except that the budget is well and truly in deficit to the tune of 390 billion baht.

So the money will have to be borrowed from somewhere.

Does it matter where?  Presumably a lender with the "best" interest rates and with the highest commission paid to the intermediary/s involved being................?

Fill in the blanks.

[chainarong]

The best interests of the nation , this guy is in La La land................................

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

7 hours ago, steven100 said:

Good job Khun Prayuth Chan O Cha ....

some just want to throw mud ....  This government is good for Thailand, it has bought stability and security to the people whereas before there was fighting and mayhem.

 

 

 

You must be <deleted> joking ? If not you have a warped view of what is really happening in this country and the true feelings of 90% of the people. You must be living in a isolated condo on the 50th floor in a Bangkok tower. The truth is that 90% of the people hate his guts but is so rapped up in a struggle to survive that they have no energy left to fight him and his band of th...s.

[Eric Loh]

28 minutes ago, Cadbury said:

So there will be no loan from China; fair enough. So the money has to come from somewhere and presumably that will be from consolidated revenue. That too is OK except that the budget is well and truly in deficit to the tune of 390 billion baht.

So the money will have to be borrowed from somewhere.

Does it matter where?  Presumably a lender with the "best" interest rates and with the highest commission paid to the intermediary/s involved being................?

Fill in the blanks.

Not possible to fund from the budget as the 2017 and 2018 have already been finalized. It will be from off-budget loan; something that got the previous government into trouble. They tried PPP (Public Private Partnership) and sent out invitations but none replied. No infrastructure projects made money and unlikely PPP will get the private investors. So it will be internal loan and very possible from new infrastructure bonds. Whatever the source of funds, this infrastructure costs that has inflated almost 20% from the original costs 4 years ago and costs will continue to inflate and all this will be covered in secrecy and non-accountability. Generations of Thais will be indebted from this incompetent and corrupt junta government.  

[steven100]

11 hours ago, SOUTHERNSTAR said:

You must be <deleted> joking ? If not you have a warped view of what is really happening in this country and the true feelings of 90% of the people. You must be living in a isolated condo on the 50th floor in a Bangkok tower. The truth is that 90% of the people hate his guts but is so rapped up in a struggle to survive that they have no energy left to fight him and his band of th...s.

"Let me put it this way ....

before there was lawlessness,  road blocks,  protests, airport closures, shootings, bombings, killings, fighting amongst parties, and general anarchy.

Now that the Junta have stepped in this has all stopped so there is no more lawlessness ... it's controlled and Thailand cannot work a democracy unless someone with a high authority is in power.  It may not seem right by you but it's better than the previous.  Also, you can still do as you generally want to day to day ... shop, drink, travel etc ... so what is wrong with that ?   or do you prefer the anarchy before   ??

I as many ....   prefer it the way it is now ....  at least it's  '  CONTROLLED '  and not the wild west as before .....    

 

Tell me ....  can you travel freely .. ?yes ...  can you buy what you want .. ?yes ...   Is anything effected in your normal day to day activities ... ???  No .... 

so I prefer ... law & order over mayhem ,,,   but i respect ur opinion. I'm just saying.

Edited June 21, 2017 by steven100

[steven100]

It must be terrible for some farang who choose to have dislike for where they live based on the government control.

I would hate to live day to day and not like my surroundings and country.

If one doesn't like where they are they can always relocate to more desired location .... but I guess that would be too sensible ..... 

[Srikcir]

14 hours ago, Cadbury said:

Fill in the blanks.

More treasury bond sales = more debt

[Srikcir]

14 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Not possible to fund from the budget as the 2017 and 2018 have already been finalized.

I'm sure the military-appointed rubber-stamp NLA will gladly amend the FY 2018 budget if requested. It did so for the FY 2017 budget. There is no check & balance in the junta-formed government.

[Srikcir]

22 hours ago, webfact said:

Out of the budget of 174 billion baht set aside for the high-speed railway system, 130 billion baht will be spent on infrastructure and the other 40 billion on system management.

And 4 billion baht for "service fees?"