Cabinet hikes budget for high-speed rail by Bt12 billion

[webfact]

Cabinet hikes budget for high-speed rail by Bt12 billion

By The Nation

 

File photo for reference only
 

The Cabinet agreed to increase the budget for the Bangkok-Nong Khai high-speed rail line, Phase 1, by another 12 billion.

 

The Cabinet also approved the setting up of a subsidiary to manage State Railway of Thailand (SRT)'s assets. The company is expected to earn more than Bt600 billion in 30 years, clearing all debts and making a profit.

 

The Cabinet agreed to revise the credit limit and draft an employment agreement and contract for rail, electrical and mechanical systems including purchase of trains and organising training of personnel, a complete version of the cooperation project between Thailand and China in developing a high-speed rail system to connect regions Bangkok - Nong Khai (Phase 1 Bangkok - Nakhon Ratchasima), deputy government spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul said.

 

The budget has been increased from Bt38.55 billion on August 29, 2017, to Bt50.63 billion, including 7 per cent VAT, or an increase of Bt12.08 billion.

The increased budget covers:

 

1. Relocation of high-speed rail system works overlaid within the scope of construction works for Bt7.03 billion, which is the procurement of machinery and equipment for infrastructure maintenance, EMU facility, track welding and long track storage base.

 

2. Changing the EMU vehicle model from CRG2G (Hexie Hao) to CR Series (Fuxing Hao), a new model with better technology and performance, which increases the cost by Bt2.53 billion.

 

3. Modification from a ballast track to a ballastless track in the section between Bang Sue Station and Don Mueang Station, Ayutthaya station, Saraburi station, Pak Chong station, Nakhon Ratchasima station and inside the tunnel for easy maintenance and reducing future maintenance costs. It also maintains the image and scenery as well as tackkes pollution caused by road maintenance. The cost of changing the road structure will amount to Bt2.22 billion

 

4. Other expenses such as guarantee fee from defect from 1 to 2 years according to the regulations, operating fees and other expenses totalling Bt284.39 million.

 

The Cabinet also approved the setting up of a subsidiary company -- Railway Asset Development Co Ltd -- of the SRT to manage its assets, with a registered capital of Bt200 million, with approval for SRT to borrow Bt200 million as capital as well. The SRT will take responsibility for repaying the loan principal, interest and expenses, and the Ministry of Finance will be the loan guarantor, including considering the appropriate borrowing methods, conditions and details.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/business/30395337

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-09-30

 

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[bluesofa]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The Cabinet agreed to revise the credit limit and draft an employment agreement and contract for rail, electrical and mechanical systems including purchase of trains and organising training of personnel, a complete version of the cooperation project between Thailand and China in developing a high-speed rail system to connect regions Bangkok - Nong Khai (Phase 1 Bangkok - Nakhon Ratchasima), deputy government spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul said.

They're leaving it all a bit late. Phase 1 is supposed to be up and running by 2021.

[Damrongsak]

"///Changing the EMU vehicle model from CRG2G (Hexie Hao) to CR Series (Fuxing Hao)..."

 

Sounds like they are Fuxed, and Hao.  The Thai people, that is.  What is the gratuity on another 12 Billion Baht? 

 

I laugh at the idea that a high tech, high speed train can run for 30 years.  Steam engines have and still do it. 

 

How about appropriate technology?

 

Edited September 29, 2020 by Damrongsak

[PatOngo]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The company is expected to earn more than Bt600 billion in 30 years,

Nice, swill in the trough for the next 3 decades! ????????????

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

The Cabinet agreed to increase the budget for the Bangkok-Nong Khai high-speed rail line, Phase 1, by another 12 billion

Just to keep the petty cash tin topped up.

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, bluesofa said:

They're leaving it all a bit late. Phase 1 is supposed to be up and running by 2021.

Have you ever noticed anything to do with trains in Thailand is that they're always late !

[DaLa]

6 hours ago, bluesofa said:

They're leaving it all a bit late. Phase 1 is supposed to be up and running by 2021.

They are planning to get the Japanese to 'recruit' a few thousand English and Aussies to help with the job. Apparently they managed to lay down some track from Burma to Thailand a few years back in 3 months.

 

I hope they've allowed in the schedule for the 'workers' requiring 14 days quarantine though.

[DirtyHarry55]

double post

Edited September 30, 2020 by DirtyHarry55

[DirtyHarry55]

A good normal speed Rail Network would be a better investment imo.

Edited September 30, 2020 by DirtyHarry55

[Pedrogaz]

......and so it begins....double the budget and twice the time taken....typical

[Redline]

A complete waste of assets~along with submarines

[Damrongsak]

12 hours ago, PatOngo said:

Nice, swill in the trough for the next 3 decades! ????????????

Great recipe for Swill Stroganov .

[DrTuner]

Aye, get yourself even deeper into the belt&road debt trap. Masters will be pleased.

 

https://www.thaienquirer.com/18893/opinion-thailand-took-two-and-a-half-years-to-build-3-5-km-of-high-speed-rail-it-might-not-be-a-bad-thing/

Quote

The Diplomat also said that Laos’s reserve is now down to $864 million as of June which is not enough to meet its debt obligations of at least $1 billion per year. Its sovereign debt has reached $12.6 billion or 65 per cent of the GDP, they added.

 

China is now Laos’s biggest creditor and the country is facing default while Cambodia could be next.

 

With Laos out of the way, political pressure from China could now be focused on Thailand.

 

All according to CCP masterplan.

[NeoDinosaw]

11 hours ago, DaLa said:

They are planning to get the Japanese to 'recruit' a few thousand English and Aussies to help with the job. Apparently they managed to lay down some track from Burma to Thailand a few years back in 3 months.

 

Most of the workers buidling the Thai-Burma rsailway were asians - mainly Burmese.  'Only' about 12,000  Brits Aussies and Dutch died.  Over 80,000 asian workers died.   Total was in the same ball-park as a bomb on Hiroshima.