Thai cabinet approves phase 2 of high-speed rail project linking to Laos, China

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

China's coal production of enterprises above the designated size reached 4.83 billion tonnes in 2025, up 1.2 percent year on year and marking a new historical high, according to the China National Coal Association.

As the cornerstone of the country's energy security, coal output maintained steady growth throughout the year in 2025, providing strong support for stable energy supply.

Four major coal-producing regions -- Shanxi, Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia, and Xinjiang -- accounted for about 82 percent of national output in the past year, with their outbound shipments made up more than 95 percent of China's inter-provincial coal transfers, playing a critical role in ensuring reliable and stable coal supply nationwide.

Since the onset of winter, the demand for coal has climbed up as energy consumption for heating continues to increase. To cope with the seasonal surge, railway authorities across the country have optimized transport planning and dispatching to ensure smooth coal deliveries during the peak consumption period.

"China's national coal output has continued to show stable growth since winter began. In December alone, raw coal production of enterprises above the designated size reached 440 million tonnes, with average daily output of 14.1 million tonnes, remaining at a historical high. Coal production has increased steadily, while inventory levels have also stayed at a high level," said Zhang Hong, vice president of the China National Coal Association.

Industrial enterprises above designated size refer to those with an annual main business revenue of 20 million yuan (about 2.87 million U.S. dollars) or more.

China's 2025 coal production reaches 4.83 bln tonnes, up 1.2 pct