Thailand's cabinet on Tuesday approved the second phase of the high-speed rail project that will connect the Southeast Asian country with China through Laos, with completion expected in 2030.
Spanning five stations, the 357-km second phase of the railway will extend an under-construction segment linking the Thai capital Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima Province to Nong Khai Province at the northeastern border with Laos, said Thai government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub.
The second phase also includes the construction of a logistics hub in Nong Khai, which will facilitate freight movement between Thailand's 1-meter gauge railway and the 1.435-meter standard gauge used in the China-Laos Railway, offering a one-stop service for cargo transfer, Jirayu said in a statement.
The project will proceed following the cabinet approval, with construction of the second phase set to begin in fiscal year 2025, the spokesperson said.
The first phase of the railway, running about 253 kilometers, was approved by Thailand's cabinet in July 2017. Up to now, 35.74 percent of it has been finished, and it is expected to open to traffic in 2028.
As a flagship project between China and Thailand in jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative, the China-Thailand Railway is the first high-speed railway in Thailand.
Its first phase links Bangkok with the central province of Nakhon Ratchasima, while the second phase will extend the route to Nong Khai, opening up a route to Kunming in southwest China's Yunnan Province.
The railway project is intended to boost the socio-economic development of Thailand as well as facilitate regional connectivity.
Thai cabinet approves phase 2 of high-speed rail project linking to Laos, China
