On December 21, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Wang Xiaotao, deputy director of China’s National Development and Reform Commission officially launched at Klang Dong, in Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand, the construction of the high-speed rail linking China. At the official ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Lyu Jian, Thai Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayaphaisith, Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda also participated.
“The Thailand-China high-speed railway will connect Thailand with other countries and help Thailand merge into the grand transport network under the Belt and Road Initiative. It will also help the kingdom become a regional transport and logistic hub. Thailand will work with the Chinese side to move the project forward in a bid to realized sustainable development,” Thai Prime Minister said.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said, in a congratulatory letter, that the China-Thailand high-speed railway is a flagship project in jointly realizing the Belt and Road Initiative in the spirit of wide consultation, joint construction and shared benefits.”
Under the first phase, the project involves the construction of the railway line linking Bangkok with the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima (Thailand). For this phase, China is responsible for design of the railway, supervision of construction and manufacturing of trains as well as the signalling system. Once completed, the railway with a maximum speed of 250 km per hour will be the first high-speed railway of Thailand.
The planned second phase of the project will link Nakhon Ratchasima with Nong Khai on the border with Laos, which connects with the China-Laos railway in an artery railway linking Thailand, Laos and China.
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