Recently, Thailand's Deputy Minister of Transport Surapong chaired a meeting of the Executive Committee for the development of China-Thailand Railway Cooperation Project to follow up the progress of the Bangkok-Nongkhai Phase I (Bangkok-Korat) project of the China-Thailand Railway project, and is ready to accelerate the implementation of the second phase (Korat Ratchasima - Nongkhai) project to ensure completion within the plan. The meeting also discussed following up on the above-mentioned railway projects that are awaiting the signing of contracts, including expediting the resolution of complaints from the National Railway Authority of Thailand about the affected people in the contracts under construction.

The progress of the above two phases of the project is as follows: the first phase of the China-Thailand railway is 253 kilometers long, and there are 14 civil engineering contracts, of which 2 have been completed, 10 are under construction and 2 are under tender. It is expected that all contracts can be signed and started in 2024; At present, the overall progress is 28.61%, and it is expected to be completed and opened to traffic in 2028; At present, the civil design of the 356-kilometer China-Thailand railway Phase II has been completed, and the meeting urged the National Railway Bureau of Thailand to submit the environmental impact assessment report to the Policy and planning Office of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Thailand, and further submit it to the Board of Directors for approval, and finally submit it to the Cabinet in accordance with the procedure. The Thai Ministry of Transport said it will work closely with the Chinese side to complete the project as soon as possible and provide adequate and efficient protection for the use of the public. Editor/Xu Shengpeng