China-Thailand Railway is one of the major connectivity projects between the two countries under the Belt and Road framework.
The China-Thailand railway will be Thailand's first standard-gauge railway to be jointly built by China and Thailand. Its planned length is 900 kilometers.
A "rice for high-speed rail" plan was first proposed by both countries in 2012 during the visit of the then Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to China. The plan was then shelved as a result of political turmoil in Thailand. After approval by the Thai Parliament on December 6, 2014, a memorandum of understanding for the rail project was signed on December 19. The signing was witnessed by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. Formal consultation on the project followed.
A ground-breaking ceremony was held in Thailand on December 19, 2015. The construction of the Bangkok-Kaeng Khoi section began in early 2016, and is scheduled to be completed in three years. The entire rail system is expected to be operational in five years.
This rail cooperation project will be a showcase for effective alignment between China's Belt and Road Initiative and Thailand's infrastructure development plans. Serving Thailand's northeastern regions and covering major cities, the network will be a great boon to economic development and standards of living in those regions.
(Source: China.org.cn）
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