High-speed Thai rail deals inked

Source: Xinhua | 2017-09-07

THAILAND has signed two contracts, worth 5.2 billion baht (US$157 million), with Chinese state enterprises for a high-speed rail project with China, Anon Luengboriboon, acting governor of the State Railway of Thailand, said yesterday.

The first contract covers the detailed engineering design of the project worth 1.7 billon baht, while the second involves the hiring of Chinese technical advisers, worth 3.5 billion baht.

The Thai government and Chinese state enterprises signed the contracts this week, witnessed by President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha on the sidelines of a BRICS summit in China.

Construction of the first phase of the project, a 250-kilometer rail line that will link the Thai capital, Bangkok, and the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima, will begin in October. It is expected to be operational in 2021, according to Anon.

“The Department of Highways will build the first 3.5 km of the rail line while the rest will be open to public bidding for Thai contractors,” Anon said.