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Accelerated Rail plan to meet tight deadline

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The Thai government is expediting the construction of its double-track train system project, with the aim of transforming Thailand into a vital regional hub for both cargo and passenger rail transport by 2027, serving the new Singapore-Kunming route. This network will connect Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, and China, as stated by Pichet Kunathammarak, the Director-General of the Department of Rail Transport.

To meet the 2027 deadline for this regional rail link, Thailand must accelerate the construction of the second phase of the double-track railroad and the new Thai-Lao friendship bridge. The first phase of the new train system is set to conclude next year, extending the double-track railway to a total length of 627km.

In the second phase, three sections will be built: a 168km stretch from Chumphon to Surat Thani, a 321km segment from Surat Thani to Hat Yai district in Songkhla, and a 45km section connecting Hat Yai to Padang Besar in Malaysia. The construction of these three sections, totaling 1,479km, must be expedited to facilitate the connection of the double-track rail services throughout Thailand.

The work on the Hat Yai-Padang Besar section will commence first, with the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) seeking cabinet approval for this sub-project later this month. Simultaneously, the Department of Highways has completed a study regarding the construction of a second Thai-Lao friendship bridge in Nong Khai. It is now preparing to design the new bridge to accommodate the double-track railway. This new bridge is expected to take approximately three years to construct, starting in early 2025 and opening by early 2028. It will be designed to accommodate the standard track gauge of 1.435 meters.

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SOURCE: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2677959

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