CLMVT connectivity and Thai-Chinese language high-speed railway

Thai Nationwide Shippers’ Council printed White Paper 2022 on CLMVT (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand) Connectivity Multimodal Transportation within the Subsequent Regular, or “Quick car-boat-rail-link” transport coverage suggestions and tips.
White Paper accommodates knowledge obligatory for evaluation of transportation prices, and the methods to scale back the prices; challenges and alternatives every type of home transport presents. Once more, as in earlier plans, Thailand is connecting its’ transportation infrastructure growth to Chinese language One Belt, One Street technique, hoping to create in Thailand predominant transportation hub, which is able to join SEA international locations to China, through highway, rail and sea transport. Plans together with building of roads alongside the Better Mekong Subregion Financial Corridors; and the development of high-speed railway linking Thailand to China, through Laos.

BANGKOK — Thailand’s current pledge to complete a long-delayed high-speed rail line linking it to China via Laos inside six years is reigniting doubts concerning the nation’s dedication and whether or not the $12 billion megaproject will repay.
Transport and Overseas Affairs ministries officers informed reporters July 6 Thailand will full the 609-kilometer line from the capital, Bangkok, to the Lao border at Nong Khai, now solely 5% constructed, by 2028. Nong Khai is simply throughout the Mekong River from the Lao capital of Vientiane, the place a high-speed prepare to the Lao-China border began service in December.
With trains operating at a most pace of 250 km/h, the brand new line will collapse the time the Bangkok-Nong Khai journey takes now on current standard-gauge tracks.
The challenge is a part of Beijing’s long-term plans to hyperlink China’s Yunnan province to the bustling ports of Singapore through high-speed trains slicing via Laos, Thailand and Malaysia in a key piece of its grand Belt and Street initiative.
Greg Raymond, a lecturer at Australian Nationwide College finding out China’s rising connections with mainland Southeast Asia, says:
…Thailand can also be cautious of any strikes, the high-speed rail line included, that may draw China too shut for consolation.
They don’t wish to be drawn in, actually, to a Beijing-centered financial system in the event that they assume it’s going to scale back their freedom of maneuver. They’re all the time searching for to stability their relationships; they don’t wish to turn into too depending on any of them. That is the traditional hedging conduct, but it surely’s very sturdy with Thailand.
https://www.voanews.com/a/thailand-sets-2028-target-to-finish-high-speed-rail-link-with-china/6662154.html
July 17, 2022

The contract governing the Thai-Chinese language high-speed railway building might must be renegotiated, as building of the challenge’s first section between Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima is now falling not on time, a supply on the Transport Ministry stated.
The primary section, which is split into 14 completely different contracts, is just 15% accomplished when it ought to have been 37%, in accordance with the supply, citing data reported at a gathering of the Thai-Chinese language joint committee on the challenge’s implementation.
The challenge’s 50.6-billion-baht predominant contract — often known as Contract 2.3, which covers the railway system, rolling shares, workers coaching and expertise switch for the 253-kilometre line from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima — has a deadline of March 2026, stated the supply.
Beneath the present circumstances, the contract must be prolonged, stated the supply.
Development of the Thai-Chinese language high-speed railway. (Picture: Ministry of Transport)
The challenge’s 1st section (Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima) was presupposed to be accomplished in 2026, whereas the 2nd section, a 356km part from Nakhon Ratchasima to the border province of Nong Khai, was initially anticipated to be utterly constructed three to 4 years after the first section is accomplished, stated the supply.
As for the plan to assemble a brand new Thai-Lao Friendship bridge, China has expressed its willingness to assist in each course of, he stated, including that the brand new bridge’s location won’t be removed from the prevailing ones.
Earlier final month, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his Lao counterpart, Phankham Viphavanh, had agreed in precept that each nations ought to construct extra Friendship bridges to additional spur financial progress.
The casual settlement was reportedly reached whereas the 2 leaders attended a ceremony held on Oct 28 to put the muse stones for the fifth Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/common/2432925/high-speed-rail-project-behind-schedule
8 Nov 2022

Remark: Hopefully, Thailand received’t let itself fall into Chinese language One Belt, One Street technique with none exit plan. Too many examples round, from Sri Lanka to Africa, how dangerous this One Massive Python technique would possibly turn into, for international locations which have been lured into the lure. As Russians put it: “Enter for 1 coin; however Exit for two”. Or as well-known music put it: ”You may take a look at any second, however you’ll be able to by no means depart”.