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Thailand’s High-Speed Rail To China Set For 2030 Completion After Years of Delay

Thailand expects its high-speed rail link to China via Laos to be operational by 2030, nearly a decade behind schedule.

Thailand’s long-awaited high-speed railway connecting it to China via Laos is now expected to begin operations in 2030, nearly a decade later than initially planned, the Thai government announced on Wednesday.

The 609-km (378-mile) segment, which will link Bangkok to Nong Khai on the Laos border, has completed more than a third of its construction, according to government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub.

The first phase of the project, a 220-km stretch from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima, is already underway, with the full route to Nong Khai expected to be ready within the next six years. Once operational, the railway will connect seamlessly with Laos’ $6 billion, 1,000-km high-speed rail line from Vientiane to China’s Kunming, which began service in 2021 as part of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Jirayu emphasised the economic significance of the project, stating, “This is an opportunity for Thailand to connect to the global economy,” while positioning itself as a regional logistics hub.

The announcement comes amid growing pressure from China for Thailand to accelerate progress on the project. Discussions on the rail link date back nearly two decades, with Thailand and China signing agreements in 2017, aiming for a 2021 launch. However, construction faced repeated setbacks due to disagreements over financing and design, as well as disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thailand’s high-speed rail ambitions align with broader regional infrastructure plans under China’s BRI, which envisions three key routes originating from Kunming through Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Meanwhile, Vietnam is moving ahead with its own high-speed rail projects, including a $67 billion, 1,541-km line connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City by 2035 and a $7.2 billion railway linking its border with China’s Yunnan province to key economic hubs like Hanoi, Haiphong, and Ha Long City. As Southeast Asia expands its rail networks, Thailand’s project will play a crucial role in enhancing cross-border connectivity and economic integration in the region.

Melissa Enoch

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