High-speed railway between Thailand and China signing expected in October

[webfact]

High-speed railway between Thailand and China signing expected in October

By Pattaya Mail

 

  

The signing for the Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima high-speed railway between Thailand and China is expected in October.

 

BANGKOK – The signing of “Contract 2.3″ for the Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima high-speed railway between Thailand and China is expected in October, said Thai Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob.

After the meeting of the 28th Thai-Chinese Joint Committee (JC), he said the two sides agreed on the 50.6 – billion-baht draft contract including the content on the signaling and operation systems.

 

The 253-kilometre rail route from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima in the Northeast is part of a high-speed train project, linking Bangkok to NongKhai, bordering Lao PDR.

 

Under Contract 2.3, 80 per cent of the payment will be made in the US currency and the remaining 20 per cent will be made in baht.

 

Source: https://www.pattayamail.com/thailandnews/high-speed-railway-between-thailand-and-china-signing-expected-in-october-301574

 

-- © Copyright Pattaya Mail 2020-05-27

 

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[Chelseafan]

Under Contract 2.3, 80 per cent of the payment will be made in the US currency and the remaining 20 per cent will be made in baht. pocketed.

 

Seriously though, did Thailand tender the contracts out or was China the only bidder?

 

[thaibeachlovers]

Am I right or am I right?

 

I said a while back ( on the Pattaya sub forum ) that the Chinese will be returning to Thailand in large numbers by HIGH SPEED RAIL. Not having to fly will make that far easier.

[Thechook]

Do not get into bed with them.  They will own you for ever as you will never repay the debt.  Look at the African and Pacific Island nations.  May as well call the removalists and hand them the keys now.

Edited May 26, 2020 by Thechook

[Mama Noodle]

It should infuriate every Thai person that faux-elected junta government can make such decisions that involve not just who Thailand warms up to, but such decisions that will lead to such Chinese influence in the region. 

[Blumpie]

Hey look Thailand, your big brother is taking over LOL!

[ezzra]

58 minutes ago, Thechook said:

Do not get into bed with them.  They will own you for ever as you will never repay the debt.  Look at the African and Pacific Island nations.  May as well call the removalists and hand them the keys now.

Too late, for long time now Thailand has lost it sovereignty when it come to be China's yes man, Thailand and the Thai people are a proud lot when it comes to their freedom, culture and identity but it all got lost to China now...

[tribalfusion001]

Perfect for the tour groups from the PRC. They can pee on brand new high speed trains and the MRT/BTS.

Edited May 26, 2020 by tribalfusion001

[Borzandy]

1 hour ago, Thechook said:

Do not get into bed with them.  They will own you for ever as you will never repay the debt.  Look at the African and Pacific Island nations.  May as well call the removalists and hand them the keys now.

Look also at Laos and Cambodia, they are now tow Chinese colony. 

[ExpatOilWorker]

2 hours ago, Thechook said:

Do not get into bed with them.  They will own you for ever as you will never repay the debt.  Look at the African and Pacific Island nations.  May as well call the removalists and hand them the keys now.

Hopewell probably wish he had taken ur advice 30 years ago.

Let's hope the Thais play the Chinese as smart as they did back then.

[sanuk711]

2 hours ago, Chelseafan said:

Seriously though, did Thailand tender the contracts out or was China the only bidder?

Yes they tendered it...but there is really only 2 countries that can do this, Japan / China...... China has over over 35,000 km of high speed rail with the longest Beijing    - Hong Kong being 2,440 km  Japan has just 3,041 km . In 2014 China finished the high speed rail throughout Turkey. Its the recognized leader in High speed rail construction  ...so............Politics not good / high speed rail very good....................

[pegman]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

Too late, for long time now Thailand has lost it sovereignty when it come to be China's yes man, Thailand and the Thai people are a proud lot when it comes to their freedom, culture and identity but it all got lost to China now...

China will soon be the largest  economy on earth. Better they gain influence by building and financing infrastructure rather than  dropping bombs like the Americans did in this region not that long ago. Prior to the pandemic Cambodia and Laos were booming because of Chinese investment. 

[Trillian]

Interesting that 80% of the deal will be paid in USD, is that because the Chinese think the Baht will lose value over the life of the contract or because the Thai's think it will gain value. Either way, the Chinese appear not to want to hold THB.

[bluesofa]

13 minutes ago, sanuk711 said:

Yes they tendered it...but there is really only 2 countries that can do this, Japan / China...... China has over over 35,000 km of high speed rail with the longest Beijing    - Hong Kong being 2,440 km  Japan has just 3,041 km . In 2014 China finished the high speed rail throughout Turkey. Its the recognized leader in High speed rail construction  ...so............Politics not good / high speed rail very good....................

China may possibly be the recognised leader in high speed rail construction.

However I'm not sure what's high speed here with regard to China: just the construction, the speed of the train, or possibly both?

 

Personally I'd favour a Japanese construction. That way at least not so many people would be concerned if they were going to arrive in one piece, if at all.

 

[sanuk711]

 

28 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Personally I'd favour a Japanese construction. That way at least not so many people would be concerned if they were going to arrive in one piece, if at all.

 

I think the days of saying anything made in China is "Shonky" are well past, they have done some great engineering feats on some of the worlds largest Dams --highways etc

Of the worlds recognized great Modern Engineering Marvels , China has surpassed most other nations. Japan didn't make the list.

 

Top 10 Modern Engineering Marvels in the World---Wikipedia

• Millau Viaduct (Millau, France) ...
• The Venice Tide Barrier Project (Venice, Italy) ...
• National Stadium a.k.a. “Bird's Nest” (Beijing, China) ...
• The Bailong Elevator (Zhangjiajie, China) ...
• Palm Islands (Dubai) ...
• The Large Hadron Collider (underground in Geneva, Switzerland) ...
• Three Gorges Dam (Sandouping, Hubei, China) ...
• Channel Tunnel.

[DrTuner]

They should name it Corona Express.

[Srikcir]

1 hour ago, sanuk711 said:

Yes they tendered it...but there is really only 2 countries that can do this, Japan / China...... China has over over 35,000 km of high speed rail with the longest Beijing    - Hong Kong being 2,440 km  Japan has just 3,041 km . In 2014 China finished the high speed rail throughout Turkey. Its the recognized leader in High speed rail construction  ...so............Politics not good / high speed rail very good....................

I don't think there was a formal bid process (TOR) but rather informal exploratory talks with Japan and China. Selecting China was probably more based on more politics (Thailand having made several long term military purchases from China previously) than project costs which were tentative until only about 2018 after design and construction had begun by China.

In any event....

China offered 100% financing but at an interest rate higher than Thailand's "sovereignty rate" and higher than offered to other ASEAN countries as if Thailand was an undeveloped country. After years of negotiations after award to China, Prayut accepted China's higher interest rate plus paying a billion+ "consulting fee."

Although China rejected a joint venture with Thailand, it required Chinese companies to build about 75% of the project cost. Thailand was left with civil construction (but typically done by joint ventures between Thai private and China state-owned companies).

Great way to increase China's GDP growth rate at the expense of Thailand's then current growth rate as financial benefit to Thailand would in theory be decades later. 

 

[bluesofa]

14 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Great way to increase China's GDP growth rate at the expense of Thailand's then current growth rate as financial benefit to Thailand would in theory be decades later. 

Wasn't there speculation that for China it would offer fast cheap access to the Thai western seaboard ports (Laem Chabang and Maptaput) for worldwide container shipping?

[EricTh]

I feel that passing through Laos (for a great distance) to go to China is questionable. 

 

Wouldn't it have been better to connect to China through Chiang Rai province which is northernmost province? Then it's only a short hop away passing Laos.

 

Edited May 27, 2020 by EricTh

[sanuk711]

2 minutes ago, EricTh said:

I feel that going through Laos to go to China is questionable. Wouldn't it boost tourism if there is a direct train from Thailand to China without going through another country?

Are you joking....................??

[EricTh]

Just now, sanuk711 said:

Are you joking....................??

Sorry, what I meant was different. See my updated answer.

[Henryford]

Did they tender with the UK. We are doing 100 mile HS2 for ONLY 4 trillion baht !

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

High-speed railway between Thailand and China signing expected in October

Another mega project funded & built by the Chinese for the Chinese... Thailand cannot do anything for itself by itself!

[sanuk711]

13 minutes ago, Henryford said:

Did they tender with the UK. We are doing 100 mile HS2 for ONLY 4 trillion baht !

Yer -the rail system in the UK........ its a sad joke isn't it. but all the bar stall devotees from there will all be voicing their opinion on how Thailand cant do it----it wont work etc...etc.

 

Oh HotChilli beat me to it........LOL

 

London businessmen. Save the government billions of pounds building a high speed rail link to Birmingham by arranging your meetings in Birmingham 20 minutes later.

Edited May 27, 2020 by sanuk711

[sscc]

11 minutes ago, EricTh said:

I feel that passing through Laos (for a great distance) to go to China is questionable. 

 

Wouldn't it have been better to connect to China through Chiang Rai province which is northernmost province? Then it's only a short hop away passing Laos.

 

 

 

The Heading of the thread, as quoted from Pattaya Mail  web  is the confusion. 

This is not from Bangkok Thailand to China   or noted  "between Thailand and China"  in the heading of the thread.

 

The 253 km route presently pricing at 50.6 Baht is the part from Bangkok to Laos border. 

China and Laos are cooperating on rail project together.  That project is reportedly under construction now.  

 

[dpcjsr]

On these new trains will social distancing be enforced? lol lol lol. 

[Barry343]

Belt and Road Initiative by China over the last 10 years to other nations  have resulted in China owning the major infrastructure of that country when it was time to pay the over inflated interested on the loan. China earlier this week stated that it is now prepared for war against anyone.

[sanuk711]

3 minutes ago, sscc said:

The 253 km route presently pricing at 50.6 Baht is the part from Bangkok to Laos border. 

China and Laos are cooperating on rail project together.  That project is reportedly under construction now

That's correct sscc--in 2 stages up to Korat first---then on to Lao (Nong Kai) Laos then takes the bill for the China connection.

The advantage of it going into Lao (from Thailand's point of view) is that Thailand is supplying Lao at the moment by road, and anyone who lives up this way will tell you its been an explosion in heavy Transport in the last 10-12 years as the demand from Lao for goods  grown. New bridges across the Mekong, new road infrastructure , just the small town I live --Udon has had 2 fly overs 1 under pass widened ring road to try to stop the trucks coming into town with another further out ring road on the planing.

The Trains wont just take tourists. There will be freight moving up that line as well.

[DPKANKAN]

4 hours ago, Mama Noodle said:

It should infuriate every Thai person that faux-elected junta government can make such decisions that involve not just who Thailand warms up to, but such decisions that will lead to such Chinese influence in the region. 

More than just influence. I have stopped my Thai lessons and started Chinese to be prepared!!????????????????????????????????

[ExpatOilWorker]

1 hour ago, sanuk711 said:

 

 

I think the days of saying anything made in China is "Shonky" are well past, they have done some great engineering feats on some of the worlds largest Dams --highways etc

Of the worlds recognized great Modern Engineering Marvels , China has surpassed most other nations. Japan didn't make the list.

 

Top 10 Modern Engineering Marvels in the World---Wikipedia

• Millau Viaduct (Millau, France) ...
• The Venice Tide Barrier Project (Venice, Italy) ...
• National Stadium a.k.a. “Bird's Nest” (Beijing, China) ...
• The Bailong Elevator (Zhangjiajie, China) ...
• Palm Islands (Dubai) ...
• The Large Hadron Collider (underground in Geneva, Switzerland) ...
• Three Gorges Dam (Sandouping, Hubei, China) ...
• Channel Tunnel.

The Bird Nest is just a pile of unused rusting iron.

Even the plastic pier in Pattaya surpass that gashly structure in terms of engineering marvels!