Road, rail network to be improved for EEC

BANGKOK, Jan 5 (TNA) – Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak assigned the Department of Highways to develop road and rail network to serve the future growth of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). The deputy prime minister, who oversee economic issues, instructed senior officials of the Department of Highways to give priority to infrastructure investment and connection of road and rail network, covering all areas in the country, particularly in the EEC to to gain confidence from foreign investors. Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said some projects under the 2020-2012 Action Plan must be first implemented such as road construction in the EEC, consisting of three Eastern provinces Rayong, Chon Buri, and Chachoengsao. The building of logistic system in the EEC project will tackle traffic problem in the future to serve investment growth. It is expected that from 2019 -2022, the budget of 48 billion baht will be spent on road construction in the EEC project. The 2019 budget allocation plan will be finished in the next two months, he said. Meanwhile, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is tasked with conducting a feasibility study on linkage of dual track train routes between the East West Corridor and the northern rail line to promote goods transportation and traveling to Laos and southern Vietnam. (TNA)