Photos courtesy of Bangkok Post
Thailand and Japan will sign an agreement to press ahead with the Bangkok to Chiang Mai high-speed train and the Kanchanburi to Sa Kaeo double-track railway, authorities recently reported.
Read the following story from the Bangkok Post to learn more about these projects.
Thailand and Japan will sign an agreement to press ahead with the Bangkok-Chiang Mai high-speed train and Kanchanburi-Sa Kaeo double-track railway in May.
The signing ceremony of the memorandum of cooperation for the projects will be held in Tokyo on May 26-27, Deputy Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said on May 11 after a meeting in Bangkok with Hiroto Izumi, the Japanese prime minister’s special adviser on economic affairs.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS
The new railway developments, which are part of Tokyo’s move to form an economic partnership with the Thai government, includes the construction of a new 670-kilometre rail route for high-speed trains from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, as well as 574 kilometres of double-track rail routes from Kanchanburi to Bangkok and Chachoengsao to Sa Kaeo’s Aranyaprathet district, which borders Cambodia in the East.
The latter project also links the capital with Chachoengsao and Laem Chabang, the country’s key industrial zone, in the eastern province of Chon Buri.
MONEY MATTERS
Japanese experts will visit Thailand in June and work with Thai authorities to carry out surveys of the routes and designs, which will take about six months. Other issues such as financing are expected to be finalised by the end of this year, Arkhom said. Financing the project will not be a problem because Tokyo can rely on the Japan International Cooperation Agency and Japan Bank for International Cooperation, Arkhom said.
STARTING SOON
Transport Minister Prajin Juntong said the construction of the two projects should start next year because the project's feasibility study was finished in 2012.
Hiroto also met Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on May 11 to discuss the progress of the two railway projects and to confirm that Japan’s cooperation with Thailand will continue.
Tokyo views the Bangkok-Chiang Mai rail route as the most important one out of both projects, Hiroto was quoted as saying. Hiroto said that Japan is ready to bring its technology and decades of experience in handling long rail routes.
GOOD RELATIONS
The Japanese government’s goodwill pleased Prayut, who promised to step up measures to boost links between the nations over the two projects. The premier is scheduled to meet Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during a summit of country leaders from the Mekong river region and Japan in July.
Exercises
Read through the story. Then, decide whether each of the following statements is true or false.
1. The Bangkok to Chiang Mai route will be built for high-speed trains.
……………….
2. Hiroto is Japan’s prime minister.
……………….
3. The signing ceremony of the memorandum of cooperation for the projects will be held in Bangkok on May 26-27.
……………….
4. Construction work on the rail projects is due to start this year.
……………….
Vocabulary
- finalise (v): to complete the last part of a plan, trip, project, etc.
boost (v): to make something increase, or become better or more successful
