bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Liu Zhen

Agencies

Thailand on Tuesday approved US$5.2 billion for the construction of the first stretch of a long-delayed high-speed railway that will ultimately connect to China, part of its belt and road ­infrastructure plan.
Although China was only providing technology for the project, the progress gave Beijing a boost at a time when its blueprint for a network of high-speed rail links throughout Southeast Asia faced hurdles, experts said.
The grand plan would see trains travelling south from Kunming in Yunnan province through Laos, Thailand and Malaysia to Singapore. Construction in Laos began late last year.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the Thai section was held in 2015, with the deputy prime ministers from both China and Thailand attending.
But the project has been held up by disputes over financing, loan terms and labour protection regulations.
Engineers put brakes on Chinese-Thai rail plan
“The cabinet has approved phase one of the high speed railway ... from Bangkok to Korat with 179 billion baht [HK$41 billion] budget for a four-year plan,” ­Kobsak Pootrakool, a vice-minister from the prime minister’s ­office, told reporters.
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who heads the Thai military government, made use of an executive order last month to clear the way for the project. Thailand would cover the construction costs, the government said.

The first phase of the project is 250km, less than a third of the planned 850km track within Thailand and remains far from the ­extension to Nong Khai on the border with Laos.
Chinese experts heralded the decision by the Thai cabinet as significant progress.
“The Chinese railway could actually be used by the Thais and be displayed to other Southeast Asian countries, which is the most important thing,” Xu Liping, a Southeast Asian studies expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said.
Why China’s bid to sell high-speed rail technology overseas is losing steam
“The ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ is supposed to be open to all and take into consideration all parties’ interests. China should be ­patient.”
Xu said Beijing’s push for high-speed rail projects was not very popular among the Thai media and some parts of the public despite interest shown by the previous government of Yingluck Shinawatra.
Thailand has also agreed to build a 700km high-speed rail connection between Bangkok and Chiang Mai using Japanese technology.
China lost the bid to Japan in 2016, and construction is scheduled to begin next year.
Thai Transport Minister ­Arkhom Termpittayapaisith has said local firms would be responsible for construction, while China would handle the design, technology, signalling systems and technical training.
“The project will use Thai ­materials but Chinese technology will be used in the construction,” Prayuth said. “We will send ­people to learn this so that we can operate the rail system ourselves in the future.”
Xu said there would likely be further challenges for the project, including legal issues over work permits for Chinese engineers and technical difficulties in training local workers
He also pointed to possible political uncertainty should the military government step down and decide to hold an election next year.
Reuters and Agence France-Presse


Why China may be better placed than US in tussle for rare earths

Trump’s new national security blueprint aims to combat China’s rise in Latin America

Deloitte says Hong Kong primed as treasury hub for China’s go-global push

From railways to Labubus: China’s businesses and their 50-year trip abroad

Belt and Road Initiative

Thailand approves long-delayed US$5.2b rail link to China

Thai passengers on the Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link. Photo: EPA

Engineers put brakes on Chinese-Thai rail plan

Thai side demanding technology transfers from China as part of the deal, which junta in Bangkok has vowed to push through via its special powers

(140311) -- YUNCHENG, March 11, 2014 (Xinhua) -- A track recording car runs on the Jinshan Yellow River Bridge on the Datong-Xi'an passenger railway line in Yuncheng, north China's Shanxi Province, March 10, 2014. The Datong-Xi'an passenger railway line from Datong of Shanxi Province to Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, has a designed speed of 250 kilometers per hour and will shorten the travel time between the cities from 16 hours to three. The railway's segment from Xi'an to Yongji of northwest China's Shaanxi Province is now under debugging. (Xinhua/Xue Jun) (lfj)

A high-speed train runs through northwest China. The planned Thailand-China rail project will provide a gateway into Southeast Asia. Photo: Xinhua

Delays to Chinese deals expected in wake of Thai king’s death

Chinese Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli writes a condolence message at the Thai embassy in Beijing on Friday. Photo: Xinhua

Chen Wenjie, a Chinese travel agent who works in Thailand, holds a portrait of the late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej as she waits to sign the condolence book with others at Thai Embassy in Beijing, Friday, Oct. 14, 2016. People across Thailand wept in grief Thursday after the palace announced the death of their beloved King Bhumibol, the nation's unifying figure and the world's longest-reigning monarch. He was 88. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Not taking no for an answer, China Railway Group says high-speed project in Thailand ‘still on’

A train which can run at speeds up to 300 kilometres (185 miles) per hour goes on a trial run in Shanghai on May 11, 2011. Trial runs began on the highly anticipated high-speed rail line between Beijing and Shanghai, one month before the link is due to go into commercial service, state media reported. CHINA OUT AFP PHOTO

News

China

Diplomacy

Asia

Southeast Asia

Thailand will cover the construction costs but the majority of technical expertise will come from Chinese engineers
