Bangkok–Nong Khai high-speed railway

The Bangkok–Nong Khai high-speed railway or Northeastern high-speed rail line is a high-speed railway under construction in Thailand. It is the first high-speed line in Thailand and constituent part of the Kunming–Singapore railway Central section. Its first phase, between Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima, is due to open in 2023.[1]

Bangkok–Nong Khai high-speed rail line
CRRC Fuxing Series EMU proposed for Northeastern high-speed rail line passenger services
Overview
Type	High-speed rail
Status	Under construction
Locale	Thailand
Termini	Bangkok Nong Khai
Operation
Opened	2023[1]
Operator(s)	State Railway of Thailand
Technical
Line length	252 km (157 mi)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in)
Operating speed	250 km/h

Official name

The official name of the line is the Cooperation between the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Government of the People's Republic of China on Bangkok - Nong Khai HSR Development for Regional Connectivity (Thai: โครงการความร่วมมือระหว่างรัฐบาลแห่งราชอาณาจักรไทย และรัฐบาลแห่งสาธารณรัฐประชาชนจีน ในการพัฒนาระบบรถไฟความเร็วสูงเพื่อเชื่อมโยงภูมิภาค ช่วงกรุงเทพมหานคร - หนองคาย).

History

High-speed rail in Thailand was first planned by the Thai parliament in 2010 with a proposal of five routes radiating from Bangkok.[2]

In March 2013, the transport minister revealed that only one company would be selected to run all high-speed train routes, scheduled to be operational between 2018 and 2019.[3] The first 86 km section from Bang Sue Grand Station to Ayutthaya was planned to be tendered in late-2013; however following the 2014 Thai coup d'état, plans were deferred.

In November 2014, Thailand and China signed a memorandum of understanding agreeing to construct the Thai portion of the transnational railway running from Kunming, China to the Gulf of Thailand. In November 2015, both parties agreed to a division of labour. Under the framework, a joint venture will be set up to run the project. China will conduct feasibility studies, design the system, construct tunnels and bridges, and lay track. Thailand will conduct social and environmental impact studies, expropriate land for construction, handle general civil engineering and power supply, and supply construction materials.

China will operate and maintain the system for the first three years of operation. Both countries will share responsibility from the third to seventh years. Afterwards, Thailand will have sole responsibility, and China will advise. China will provide training for operations and maintenance.[4]

Dual standard-gauge tracks will be laid in the project. In Thailand, two routes will diverge at a junction in Kaeng Khoi District in Saraburi Province. One will connect Bangkok to Kaeng Khoi. The other route will connect Kaeng Khoi with Map Ta Phut of Rayong Province. From Kaeng Khoi tracks will lead north to Nakhon Ratchasima and on to Nong Khai Province. The Bangkok to Nong Khai HSR line will connect to the 417 km (259 mi) Vientiane–Boten railway from Vientiane to the northern Lao border and the 520 km (320 mi) line from the Lao border to Kunming.[4]

Rolling stock

Northeastern High Speed Railway will be use Fuxing Series or Fuxing Hao CR300AF High-speed rail EMU, produced by CRRC. The CR300AF models has a maximum speed of 300 km/h (Operating speed in Thailand will be 250 km/h).[5]

Construction

The China–Thailand high-speed rail link under construction, Khon Kaen, 16 May 2017

Construction divided into four sections: Bangkok-Kaeng Khoi, Map Ta Phut-Kaeng Khoi, Kaeng Khoi-Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Ratchasima-Nong Khai. Construction of Thailand's 873 km (542 mi) portion of the railway system started in December 2017 and is expected to take three years for phase 1 to Nakhon Ratchasima. The first contract consisted of a 3.5 km section from Klong Dan to Pang Asok with a budget of 371 million baht after a nine percent decrease from the initial budget.[6]

In February 2018, the Thai transport minister stated that the contract for the first phase, the 253 km Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima section, will be issued by May 2018. The second contract will cover the 11 km section from Sikhio to Kut Chik.[7] The first phase of the line to Nakhon Ratchasima has been divided into 14 contracts, with contracts 3-7 to be auctioned by June 2018, while contracts 8-14 will be auctioned before the end of 2018.[8]

Construction contracts and progress

Contracts	Details	Type	Distance (kilometers)	Budget (million baht)	Contractor
1-1	Klang Dong to Pang Asok	ground level	3.5	425	Department of Highways
2-1	Sikhio to Kut Chik	ground level	11	3,115	Civil Engineering Co., Ltd.
3-1	Kheang Khoi to Klang Dong, and Pang Asok to Ban Dai Mah	ground level and elevated	30.21	9,330	Thai Engineering Co., Ltd.
3-2	Muaklek to Lam Ta Kong	tunnel	12.23	4,729.3	Nawarat Patanakarn PLC.
3-3	Ban Dai Mah to Lam Ta Kong, including Pak Chong station	elevated	26.10	9,838	Krungthon Engineering Co., Ltd.
3-4	Lam Ta Kong to Sikhio, and Kut Chik to Khok Kruad	ground level and elevated	37.45	9,788	BNP Co., Ltd.
3-5	Khok Kruad to Nakhon Ratchasima	ground level and elevated	13.69	7,750	Napha Construction Co., Ltd.
4-1	Bangsue Central to Don Mueang Airport	elevated	11.83	-	Eastern High-speed Rail Linking Three Airports Co., Ltd. (included in construction contract of 3 Airports project)
4-2	Don Mueang Airport to Navanakhon	eleveted	21.80	8,626	Sino-hydro Co., Ltd. Sahakan Wisawakorn Co., Ltd. Tipakorn Co., Ltd.
4-3	Navanakhon to Ban Pho	eleveted	23	11,525	China State Construction Engineering Corporation Co., Ltd. Nawarat Patanakarn PLC. A.S. Associate Engineering (1964) Co., Ltd.
4-4	Chiang Rak Noi depot	ground level	-	6,093
4-5	Ban Pho to Phra Keaw, including Ayutthaya station	ground level and elevated	13.30	9,913	Italian-Thai Development PLC.
4-6	Phra Keaw to Saraburi	ground level and elevated	31.6	9,429	Unique Engineering and Construction PLC.
4-7	Saraburi to Kheang Khoi, including Saraburi and Kheang Khoi station	ground level and eleated	12.99	8,560	##

Route

Phase 1: Bangkok (Bang Sue) – Don Mueang – Ayutthaya – Saraburi – Pak Chong – Nakhon Ratchasima

Phase 2: Nakhon Ratchasima – Bua Yai – Ban Phai – Khon Kaen – Udon Thani – Nong Khai

Bangkok (Bang Sue)

Nong Khai

Nakhon Ratchasima

Key stations on the Bangkok - Nong_Khai high-speed railway

References

1. "Thailand's high-speed railway will carry first passengers in 2023". The Thaiger. 4 September 2019. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
2. "Thailand to negotiate with China on high-speed proposal". International Railway Journal. 30 October 2010. Archived from the original on 1 November 2010. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
3. "Transport Minister: One firm will run all high-speed train routes". Thai Financial Post. 21 March 2013. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014.
4. Jikkham, Patsara (17 November 2015). "Sino-Thai railway responsibilities set". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
5. "Rail progress tracks full steam ahead". Bangkok Post. 2 December 2018.
6. Jotikasthira, Om (23 March 2018). "Thai Chinese rail project falls in price". Bangkok Post.
7. "Pace picks up on fast train project". The Nation. 9 March 2018.
8. Jotikasthira, Om; Theparat, Chatrudee (9 March 2018). "New govt 'won't halt airport fast rail plan'". Bangkok Post.