Thailand to build high-speed railway to China

Global Business

Thailand’s military government has approved a $23 billion dollar plan to build a high-speed railway that will eventually link with China.
Plans for the future include extending the line south to Singapore, meaning passengers and freight could travel from north to south Asia in as little as 12 hours. Martin Lowe reports.

Thailand to build a high-speed railway to China

Thailand's military government has approved a $23 billion dollar plan to build a high-speed railway that will eventually link with China. In the future it's hoped to extend the line south to Singapore, meaning passengers and freight could travel from north to south Asia in as little as 12 hours. Martin Lowe reports.

The introduction of high-speed trains will massively reduce travel times for passengers in Thailand, cutting journeys from the capital to the northern borders from 10 to 12 hours to around four. It will also open up much faster trade links for Thailand with China, the world’s second-largest economy.

Upgrading the existing rail network should begin next year and be complete by 2021. It’s part of an eight-year investment that will see improvements to rail services, better public transport in the capital, new highways and upgrades to ports and airports at a total cost of around $94 billion dollars.