Railway co-op with China ushers in new era for Thai infrastructure development

The Thai government has always been supporting and promoting the Thailand-China railway project, and wishes it to be quickly implemented and railway lines inside Thailand to be connected with those in the southern part of China as soon as possible, Thai Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said.

The Thailand-China project will not only be an important section of the Kunming-Singapore Railway, but also part of the preparations for ASEAN economic integration and a bridge that connects economies and peoples, Arkhom noted.

The railway project will use China's technology, standard and equipment, with the Thai side responsible for civil works, power supply engineering and part of construction materials and transportation facilities.

The Chinese side will undertake construction when it comes to tunnels, certain bridges and mountainous terrain, as well as track engineering, signaling and communication systems, traction power supply system and control system.

Relying on its own experience in railway construction and advanced technologies, China will help Thailand cultivate technical and management personnel, and enhance its capabilities for pursuing further railway development, said Wang Xiaotao, deputy head of China's National Development and Reform Commission.

Thailand needs a lot of investment and technology from China to be able to proceed with its railway development, said Sumet Ongkittikul, research director for transportation and logistics policy under the Thailand Development Research Institute.

Thailand stands to gain from its railway cooperation with China, Sumet said, adding it will be beneficial if China's technologies can be transferred to Thailand.

Undoubtedly, the Thailand-China project will bring about prosperity and new economic belts along the line, commented Dr Kanit Saengsuphan, a Thai finance expert.

It is now necessary, Kanit suggested, to start drafting plans for future economic growth in regions along the line in order for them to better adapt to changes brought by the railway development and achieve optimal benefits.