[Bangkok 3rd Reuters]-The first section of the 873 km high-speed railway linking China and Thailand is expected to be completed and opened in 2023. A Thai government spokesman told reporters on the 3rd.
The first phase is a 252 km section between Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima Province in northeastern China. According to a video published by the Thai government to the press, Thailand will bear the total construction cost of 179 billion baht ($ 5.85 billion) in the first phase, and China will be responsible for system installation, design and vehicle procurement.
According to a spokesperson, the second phase of construction will be in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, and in Nong Khai Province, which borders Laos, and will eventually lead to China. The speed of the railway is up to 250 km / h and the ticket price is 107-534 baht ($ 3.5-17.45).
The Thai state-owned railway representative told Reuters that construction and tendering contracts will be decided later this year.
The high-speed railway plan is part of China's plan to create a railway network throughout Southeast Asia, and is ultimately trying to connect Kunming and Singapore in southwestern China. However, the plan was delayed as Thailand refused high-interest loans from China in 2016.
