China-Thailand High-speed Railway Approved with Investment of Over 340 Billion Baht

According to the Thai Headline News Agency, Nilu, director general of the State Railway Administration of Thailand (SRAT), revealed that the second phase of the project with the Thai-Chinese high-speed rail project was approved at the April 18 meeting of the Board of Directors of the SRAT.

The second phase of the project line will be constructed from Korat to Nong Khai with a total length of 357.12 kilometers and a total investment of 341.351 billion baht. Of this, the civil construction cost of the high-speed rail project is 235,129 million baht, the cost of compensation for land acquisition and expropriation of resources is 10.31 billion baht, the cost of the track system-electrical train system and mechanical equipment is 80,165 million baht, and the cost of the project management consultant's supervision and control is 10.06 billion baht. The detailed design of the project has now been completed.

Nilu said that the NRT has already submitted the environmental impact assessment report to the National Environment Council for consideration and approval. Subsequently, the NRT will submit the report to the Ministry of Transport and the Cabinet for further consideration and approval.

According to the Phase 2 plan, the project will implement electronic bidding for contractors in 2025, which will be divided into 13 civil works contracts. These include 11 line alignment contracts, each worth about 20 billion baht. In addition, there are 1 contract for the Chiang Rak Noi Maintenance Center and 1 contract for the NaTha Maintenance Center with a civil works construction period of 4 years and 48 months. In addition, there is 1 contract for rail system-electric train system as well as machinery and equipment with a project construction period of 5 and a half years or 66 months. It is expected that the project construction will be completed in 2030 and put into operation in 2031.

Meanwhile, the second phase of the Thai-Chinese high-speed rail project has made adjustments to the civil design, which includes the construction of a 202.48-kilometer-long elevated track and a 154.64-kilometer-long at-grade track with stations at Bua Yai, Ban Phai, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, and Nong Khai.

Nilu further noted that to support rail transportation in Nong Khai, they adopted studies and analyses on private sector investment in state-owned enterprises, the transit center project, and the NaTha Container Warehouse Area. The project has a budget of 5,686 million baht, including civil construction costs of 2,325 million baht, compensation costs for land acquisition and compensation for expropriated resources of 2,108 million baht, costs for the rail system-electrical train system as well as machinery and equipment of 508 million baht, investment costs for tools/equipment and rolling stock for the NaTha Transit Center of 639 million baht, and project management consulting fees, control and system certification cost of 104 million baht.

As for the rail transportation project in support of Nong Khai Province, the National Railway Board will submit a report to the Ministry of Transportation, the Cabinet, etc. for further approval. The project will be subject to public bidding in the form of a public-private partnership with a concession period of 20 years, and the National Railway Board will receive a concession fee of 4,457 million baht for the entire project period.