Thailand's first high-speed train project to be materialised in 2016

SEOUL, March 25 (TNA) - The construction of Thailand's first high-speed railway, linking Bangkok with Nakhon Ratchasima Province or Korat in the Thai Northeast through Kaeng Khoi in the central Saraburi Province, may be delayed by 4-5 months but it will be started within this year. Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith told journalists on March 24 while visiting Seoul, South Korea's capital, that the project could be delayed by 4-5 months as an official environmental panel is scrutinising an environmental impact assessment (EIA) report of the project and there have been some changes in details of its investment plan. Arkhom referred to a decision announced by Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha while attending the 1st Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting in China's Hainan Province earlier this week that his government would entirely invest in the project but would employ the Chinese side to develop it under a government-to-government (G-to-G) agreement. Arkhom acknowledged that the changes in details of the project could defer the start of its construction by 4-5 months, from its earlier set in May 2016. Arkhom said China has offered a soft loan to fund the construction of the project, but the Thai government is considering the offer in comparison with interest rates offered by other local and foreign sources. According to the transport minister, after the construction of the project is completed, the Chinese side may be invited to co-invest with the Thai side, through the Ministry of Finance, his ministry's State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and the private sector, to run the first high-speed train service in Thailand. (TNA)