SRT extends Thai-Chinese rail project by 201 days (2025)

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) Board has approved a 201-day extension for the Thai-Chinese high-speed rail project between Saraburi and Kaeng Khoi due to structural constraints, including land-use permissions from the Royal Irrigation Department.

SRT Governor Veeris Ammarapala announced the board’s approval for the extension of the contract for the high-speed rail system connecting Bangkok and Nong Khai, a joint initiative between Thailand and China.

The extension affects the Saraburi-Kaeng Khoi section, pushing the completion date from June 7 to December 25. The plan will be adjusted accordingly, with contractors not claiming any expenses or compensation, and no additional costs will be incurred by the SRT.

Veeris attributed the delay to structural limitations, particularly the need for land-use permission from the Royal Irrigation Department. He assured that the SRT has provided the contractor with all the necessary land and will expedite the work to ensure completion within the new timeline.

The Saraburi-Kaeng Khoi section, valued at 8.56 billion baht, covers 12.99 kilometres, with construction having commenced on February 19, 2021.

Furthermore, the SRT board has decided to propose to the Cabinet the construction of six railway crossing bridges in Nakhon Ratchasima province, with a total budget of 797.29 million baht.

Currently, the project is in its second phase, approved by the Cabinet previously in February. This phase links Nakhon Ratchasima to Nong Khai, with an estimated investment of 340 billion baht.

The new section will connect to the first phase from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima, which is currently under construction, allowing high-speed travel from Bangkok to Yunnan, China, via Laos, where a high-speed railway is already operating.

In other railway news, the SRT has confirmed that the steel used in the Thai-Chinese high-speed rail project complies with all engineering and quality standards.

This assurance follows detailed inspections initiated due to public concerns after an earthquake in Myanmar on Friday, March 28, which sent tremors to Bangkok, resulting in the collapse of the State Audit Office building in Chatuchak district.

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