High-speed rail in Thailand

[Mongwin]

Plans to Invest 341 Billion Baht in Phase 2 of the Thai-Chinese Railway, with SRT Allocating 125 Million Baht for a New "Nong Khai-Vientiane" Bridge Design Connecting the Thai-Lao-Chinese Network

Source: Manager Online
Date: Thursday, July 25, 2024, 06:07

The vision of a railway connecting three countries—Thailand, Laos, and China—may not be far off, as the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has launched the Bangkok Apiwat - Vientiane (Thanaleng) line with 1-meter gauge tracks. The route has been well-received by citizens of both countries. Phase 1 of Thailand's high-speed railway, connecting Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima, is set to open in 2028. Phase 2, from Nakhon Ratchasima to Nong Khai, with an investment of over 341 billion baht, is preparing for project approval. A new railway bridge across the Mekong River between Nong Khai and Vientiane is crucial for seamless travel and must be completed by 2030 alongside Phase 2.

After the SRT officially launched cross-border train services between Thailand and Laos on the Bangkok (Bangkok Apiwat Central Station) - Vientiane (Thanaleng) route on July 19, 2024, the journey, costing just a few hundred baht, has been popular, especially on weekends. It takes a night to reach Vientiane, with simple border checks at Nong Khai and Vientiane. The route is expected to attract over 200,000 additional tourists annually, generating more than 67 million baht per year.

Background on the Second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge (Nong Khai-Vientiane)

Currently, the railway link between Thailand and Laos has been extended from Nong Khai, previously ending at Thanaleng, to the Vientiane Station (Thanaleng), a total of approximately 7.5 kilometers with a 1-meter gauge. Thailand has assisted Laos in completing this construction.

However, the existing 30-year-old First Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge, with two car lanes and a 1-meter railway track, can no longer handle increased traffic and transportation demands with the future Phase 2 high-speed train. Thus, the construction of a new Second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge (Nong Khai-Vientiane) is planned. This bridge will feature a standard gauge (1.435 meters) for high-speed trains and a 1-meter gauge for current trains, enhancing cross-border traffic and goods transportation capacity.

The project aligns with an agreement between the governments of Thailand and China, as part of a strategic transportation infrastructure plan. This agreement, signed during a trilateral meeting in Beijing on March 1, 2019, includes constructing a new bridge 30 meters downstream from the existing one.

The Ministry of Transport tasked the Department of Highways with studying the new bridge’s development, which involves three main components:

1. A road connecting the First Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge checkpoint with the Lao PDR border.
2. A 1-meter gauge railway track from Nong Khai to Thanaleng Station.
3. A standard gauge railway track (1.435 meters) from Nong Khai to Vientiane, approximately 16 km long.

The SRT has budgeted 125 million baht (25 million baht in 2024 and 100 million baht in 2025) for detailed design and environmental impact assessment (EIA) studies, with contracts expected to be signed soon. The detailed design phase will take 12 months (2024-2025), EIA approval 18 months (2025-2026), project approval in 2026, land expropriation in 2026-2028, construction bidding in 2026-2027, and construction and system installation 36 months (2027-2030).

Thailand has requested Laos to facilitate survey and data collection on its side to ensure a comprehensive study. The construction is under a bilateral agreement with Laos, with both sides sharing the costs equally, aiming for completion by 2029. This will allow high-speed trains from Bangkok Apiwat Central Station to Nakhon Ratchasima, Nong Khai, and Vientiane.

Current Issues and Delays in Phase 1 High-Speed Train Construction

Phase 1 of the high-speed rail project, covering 253 kilometers from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima, involves 14 contracts, with only two completed, 10 under construction, and two yet to start. The project, delayed due to labor shortages caused by COVID-19 and late site access, is currently 34.216% complete, against a planned 68.905%.

Unresolved contracts include the 15.2 km Bang Sue-Don Muang section, overlapping with the high-speed rail linking three airports (Don Muang-Suvarnabhumi-U-Tapao), and the 13.3 km Ban Pho-Phra Kaew section, involving heritage site issues under discussion with UNESCO. Additionally, adjustments are requested in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Kudjik, Ban Mai, and Nong Prasang areas, including a 7.85 km elevated section costing an additional 4.79 billion baht and extending the construction period by about two years.

Pushing Phase 2 for Construction Bidding Worth Over 235 Billion Baht This Year

Phase 2 of the high-speed rail project, spanning 357.12 km from Nakhon Ratchasima to Nong Khai, has a total investment of 341,351.42 million baht, divided into two parts:

1. High-speed train works worth 335,665.21 million baht, including land acquisition and property compensation (10,310.10 million baht), civil works (235,129.40 million baht), rail system investment (30,663.75 million baht), electrical and mechanical systems (29,007.08 million baht), train procurement (17,874.35 million baht), maintenance trains (2,620.43 million baht), construction supervision consultants (6,466.06 million baht), project management and system supervision consultants (2,792.38 million baht), and independent engineering consultants (801.66 million baht).
2. The Na Ta cargo transfer center works worth 5,686.21 million baht, including land acquisition and property compensation (2,108.51 million baht), civil works (2,325.46 million baht), rail system investment (418.76 million baht), electrical and mechanical systems (89.44 million baht), lifting equipment for the cargo center (429.24 million baht), locomotive procurement for the cargo center (210.00 million baht), construction supervision consultants (63.95 million baht), project management and system supervision consultants (29.38 million baht), and independent engineering consultants (11.47 million baht).

The civil works design has been completed, and the SRT Board is set to approve it on July 25, 2024, with a proposal to the Cabinet by the end of the year. The civil works construction will take 48 months (4 years) and the railway system installation 66 months, with an expected opening in 2031.

Mr. Pichet Khunathamraks, Director-General of the Department of Rail Transport, noted that the second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge (Nong Khai-Vientiane) will have two railway tracks: a 1-meter gauge for current trains and a 1.435-meter gauge for high-speed trains. The high-speed track will connect to the Laos-China railway, approximately 12 km from Vientiane (Thanaleng).

In addition to increased passenger transport, goods transport across the second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge will also rise. The current transfer point between the Thai-Lao and Lao-China railways, located about 2.5 km north of Thanaleng Station, has two 1-meter gauge tracks (700m and 350m) and one 1.435-meter gauge track connecting to Vientiane South Station (a cargo-only station). Container cranes are used to transfer goods.

A new Mekong River bridge dedicated to railway traffic is essential for seamless Thai-Chinese railway connectivity. However, challenges remain, including differing train speeds and track widths among the three countries—Thailand's high-speed trains at 250 km/h with dual tracks, the 1-meter gauge dual-purpose trains, and Laos-China's single-track system at 160 km/h. These issues require further trilateral discussions.

https://mgronline.com/business/detail/9670000062879

[Mongwin]

The board approves "High-Speed Train" Phase 2 to "Nong Khai," appoints "Veerith Amrapal" as the new governor of the State Railway of Thailand | Daily News
Source: Daily News Website
Thursday, July 25, 2024, 17:34

The board of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has approved Mr. Veerith Amrapal as the new governor, the 30th person to hold the position. The board also greenlit the Phase 2 High-Speed Train project, costing over 341 billion baht, which will be proposed to the Cabinet next year. The construction is expected to begin in 2025 and take six years, with completion and service commencement in 2032. The land acquisition for 1,991 plots has not yet started, pending the issuance of an expropriation law.

Mr. Jiruth Wisaljit, Director-General of the Department of Land Transport and Chairman of the SRT board, announced that the meeting approved the selection of the 30th SRT governor, as proposed by the selection committee. Mr. Veerith Amrapal, currently the governor of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT), was chosen based on his high scores and suitability for the position. Further negotiations regarding his compensation will be held, followed by SRT board approval and submission to the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Transport, and finally the Cabinet. The contract signing is expected around September 2025.

Mr. Anan Photnindang, Deputy Governor of the SRT, stated that the SRT board meeting approved the cooperation project between the governments of Thailand and the People's Republic of China to develop the high-speed rail system connecting the region, Phase 2 between Nakhon Ratchasima and Nong Khai, covering a distance of 357.12 kilometers. The project budget is 341 billion baht, and it will be proposed to the Ministry of Transport and other relevant agencies, with an expectation to present it to the Cabinet around January 2025.

Mr. Anan further mentioned that the preliminary timeline for the project includes opening the bidding for contractors around early February 2025, starting construction in 2025, with an estimated duration of 72 months (6 years), aiming for completion and service commencement in 2032. The construction contract details are not yet finalized, and the SRT board has requested a thorough review, especially concerning land division and expropriation points, to avoid issues. The number of contracts might be reduced from the 11 previously proposed. Once finalized, the SRT will inform the board for acknowledgment, and this will not hinder the project's submission to the Cabinet.

Mr. Anan also mentioned that the SRT can propose the project for Cabinet approval immediately, with the contract details to be defined during the preparation of the bidding documents (TOR). The bidding for the high-speed train operation along the Bangkok-Nong Khai route, in the form of a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), has not yet been considered in the meeting. This matter requires further detailed study. The approval of the project framework in this meeting is only for seeking project approval before further detailed study.

Additionally, the meeting approved the hiring of Epsilon Group Co., Ltd., comprising seven companies, including Epsilon Group Co., Ltd. as the lead firm, MHP Co., Ltd., Asian Engineering Consultants Co., Ltd., PSK Consultants Co., Ltd., Chotichinda Consultants Co., Ltd., Decade Consultants Co., Ltd., and United Analysts and Engineering Consultants Co., Ltd. They will serve as consultants for the detailed design of the construction project for the second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge in Nong Khai province, at a contract price of 119,946,221.04 baht, with a study period of 12 months. The contract signing is expected to be completed by September 2025.

The "Daily News Transport Innovation Team" reported that the Phase 2 High-Speed Train project has not yet commenced the land expropriation process, which must wait for project approval from the Cabinet. Afterward, a draft Royal Decree for expropriation will be prepared and announced. The project involves approximately 1,991 plots requiring expropriation, with an estimated budget of around 12 billion baht.

https://www.dailynews.co.th/news/3683565/

[Mongwin]

High-Speed Rail Phase 2 Opening Delayed to 2034

Korat-Nong Khai 357km Awaits Cabinet Approval for Construction

Mr. Chirut Wisanjit, Director-General of the Department of Land Transport (DLT) and Chairman of the Board of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), announced that the meeting on July 25th approved the selection of Mr. Weerish Amrapal, Governor of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT), as the 30th Governor of SRT. Mr. Weerish received the highest score and was deemed suitable for the position. The next steps involve negotiating compensation and presenting the results to the SRT board for further consideration before submitting them to the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Transport, and the Cabinet. The employment contract is expected to be signed around September.

Mr. Anan Pho Nim Daeng, Deputy Governor of SRT, stated that the SRT board approved the cooperation project between the Thai and Chinese governments to develop the high-speed rail system connecting Bangkok and Nong Khai (Phase 2), covering the Nakhon Ratchasima-Nong Khai section with a distance of 357.12 kilometers and a budget of 341 billion baht. The project will be proposed to the Ministry of Transport and relevant agencies, and is expected to be submitted to the Cabinet for consideration around January 2025 (originally planned for the end of this year). The bidding process for contractors is expected to start around early February 2025 (from late 2024), with construction commencing in 2025 and taking 72 months (approximately 6 years). The project is expected to be completed and operational around 2034 (originally 2032).

The details of the construction contracts have not been finalized, and the meeting assigned SRT to review them carefully, especially regarding the division of areas and expropriation points for each contract to avoid issues. The number of contracts may be reduced from the 11 contracts previously proposed to the SRT board, but there is still time for consideration. Once finalized, SRT will inform the board. This matter does not hinder the submission of the project to the Cabinet.

Mr. Anan added that SRT can propose the project to the Cabinet for approval, while the contract details will be determined later during the preparation of the bidding documents (TOR). The auction for the high-speed train operation along the entire Bangkok-Nong Khai route under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model has not yet been considered and requires further study. The proposal presented in this meeting is only a general framework for project approval before proceeding with further detailed studies.