Bangkok–Nong Khai high-speed railway

The Kuala Lumpur–Singapore high-speed rail (HSR) is a postponed railway project to link Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Singapore via a high-speed rail line. It was announced by then Malaysian’s Prime Minister, Najib Razak, in September 2010. Singapore’s Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, officially agreed in February 2013 to go ahead and the HSR project is expected to be completed by 2026. However, after the defeat of Najib Razak in Malaysia’s general elections in May 2018, his successor, Mahathir Mohamad initially announced that the project would be scrapped. However, during a visit to Japan on 12 June 2018, Mahathir said that the project was not scrapped but merely postponed due to high costs. On 5 September 2018, it was announced that the HSR operations will start in January 2031.

The HSR line is 350 km long, and is expected to reduce travel time between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to 90 minutes. It will also stop at several Malaysian cities such as Malacca and Seremban as it travels along the west coast of West Malaysia. The line starts from Bandar Malaysia in Malaysia and ends at Jurong East in Singapore.

The Bangkok–Nong Khai high-speed railway, also known as the Northeastern high-speed rail line, is an ambitious project under construction in Thailand. Let’s explore the details:

  1. Overview:
    • The Bangkok–Nong Khai high-speed railway will be the first high-speed line in Thailand.
    • It is being constructed in multiple phases to connect key cities and regions.
    • The first phase, between Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima, is expected to open in 2026 after several delays.
    • The entire line, extending to Nong Khai (near the Laos border) and across the Mekong River to Vientiane, Laos, is expected to be operational by 2028.
  2. Route and Significance:
    • The railway serves as a major connection along the Kunming–Singapore railway central line.
    • It will link Bangkok to Vientiane (Laos) and further to Kunming (China).
    • This strategic route enhances regional connectivity and trade opportunities.
  3. History and Collaboration:
    • High-speed rail in Thailand was initially planned in 2010 with proposals for multiple routes radiating from Bangkok.
    • In 2014, Thailand and China signed a memorandum of understanding to create a joint committee for the transnational railway project.
    • The project was divided into four phases, with China handling feasibility studies, design, construction, and track laying.
    • Despite China’s financial offers, Thailand chose to pay the entire project cost to ensure independent ownership.