High-speed from Thailand to China in 12.5 hours...

Last summer Thailand and China agreed upon completing the 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗮-𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱, 𝗱𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 as soon as possible, with ambition to be operational by 2028.

Thailand’s first high-speed rail line connecting #Bangkok and Nong Khai, the border city with Laos in north-east of Thailand (about 600km) will be the extension of the 1,000km China-Laos high-speed railway already in operation since last December from Laos capital #Vientiane to #Kunming, the capital of China’s southern #Yunnan province. Both railways will be connected by a bridge over the #Mekong river to link Nong Khai and Vientiane.

The new high speed railway between Bangkok and Nong Khai in Thailand will cut train travel time from today's 9.5 hours to 2.5 hours and Vientiane can be reached from Bangkok in less than 3 hours (with a flight taking about 1 hour).

The China-Thailand high speed railway is part of the 3,900 km-long central route of the 𝗣𝗮𝗻-𝗔𝘀𝗶𝗮 𝗥𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸, which aims to promote regional connectivity and economic integration between China and ASEAN countries—one of the most dynamic and fastest growing regions in the world. The end station will be #Singapore linking Singapore and Kunming (and all major cities on the way in #Malaysia, #Thailand, #Laos and #China) by an 18-hour high speed train travel.

Plans for other high speed train routes between China and Singapore are also on the table, on the East side through #Vietnam and #Cambodia and on the West side through #Myanmar.

The Pan-Asia railway network will be a game changer for 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗮-𝗔𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗡 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻, not the least also for #cargo . As an alternative to the marine shipping routes through the South China sea and Malacca Strait, the inlands will be much more accessible for trade.

The railway network is a great vehicle for the #RCEP 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽, world’s largest free trade agreement between #ASEAN nations, #China, #Japan, #Korea, #Australia and #NewZealand. The RCEP came into effect early this year.

#connectivity #highspeedrail #inclusiveness #asia #southeastasia #railway