China seeks green light to get rolling on Thai ‘train to nowhere’
Belt and road project has been dogged by delays and mistrust on the Thai side
China hopes to start construction by the end of the year of a controversial high-speed rail project in Thailand that has been dogged by delays and public opposition.
The lone remaining hurdle to starting the first phase of the joint railway, which has an estimated price tag of US$5.2 billion, is the completion of an environmental impact assessment, according to Liang Xiaoguang, from the Chinese consulate in Thailand’s economic and commercial counsellor’s office.
“Both countries are confident the study will be completed in November,” he said in Bangkok. “It was mostly the Thai side that was delaying the project … After it passes, they will have no more reasons to delay it.”
Officials from both sides earlier said construction could begin in November, but the process has been delayed because the environmental impact assessment has been waiting for approval.
The first phase of the project – stalled for months over costs, development, and labour problems – will be a 250km railway stretching from the capital Bangkok to the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima.