High speed train to connect main Thai airports

BANGKOK, February 27 (TNA) - Thailand's Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) Board, chaired by Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha, has approved a plan on linking a new high speed train system with the country's three main international airports, including the Suvarnabhumi Airport, the Don Mueang Airport and the U-Tapao Airport. The approval was announced after the latest meeting of the EEC Board, held in Bangkok on February 26, during which the U-Tapao Airport was also endorsed to become the country's third international airport. It was reported that the planned high speed train system, once launched for public service, will cut the travelling time of passengers from Bangkok to the U-Tapao International Airport and vice versa to only 45 minutes, from 2-3 hours if they travel by cars or inter-provincial buses, thanks to its high speed of 250 kilometers per hour. For the fares, passengers of the high speed train will each pay about 270 baht from Makkasan area in Bangkok to Pattaya in the eastern seaside Chon Buri Province and vice versa, but they will each pay 330 baht if they will take off at the U-Tapao International Airport instead. Meanwhile, Industry Minister Uttama Savanayana told journalists that the total return to the about 200 billion-baht investment of the high speed train system should stand about 700 billion baht, with its partial return to the private investment during the first 50 years estimated at about 400 billion baht. The minister noted that there will be another part of about 300 billion baht-return of the high speed train project after the first 50 years and the management of the new mass rail transit system will be transferred to the Thai government after an agreed contract between the government and any winning private bidder expires. According to the minister, Monday's EEC Board meeting also endorsed proposed plans on extending areas under the EEC Project to cover more eastern Thai provinces, namely Chon Buri, Rayong, Chantaburi and Trat, and on conducting a four-month feasibility study on the future construction of the second phase of the planned high speed train system, linking the U-Tapao International Airport with Trat through Rayong and Chantaburi to be connected with cross-border land transport systems to neighboring Cambodia, which if realized, the total distance of high speed train system on the Bangkok-Trat route will be about 320 kilometers. Besides, the minister said, Monday's EEC Board meeting also acknowledged the EEC Bill, which has already been passed by the National Legislative Assembly (NLA). (TNA)