Thailand's high-speed train project underway

[Pleng]

Good point about HH station Understudy - and they won't widen it on the existing platform side, which means taking a chunk out of the golf course? And widening the tunnel under the airport runway or building a second tunnel?

Doomed before it starts

Would it have to actually run from Hua Hin Station? Isn't there one just down the road in Nong Kae? How's the land around that?

Tha Big Plan is to run the high speed link to HH already - and there is only one existing rail link there Bangkok to South.
Yes of course we are ignoring the fact that a new rail line could completely circumvent HH, but is that likely to happen given that HH already has a station of some importance, and that HH is situated on one of the most narrow parts of Thailand?

But Nong Kae is still in Hua Hin. They could rename it 'Hua Hin South' or whatever. The train could just stop there and then tracks be laid around the other side of the golf course (if there's any room there??) to join up with the main line. Much in the same way, I guess, that Surat Thani's station isn't actually in Surat itself.

[Name Taken]

Brown envelopes will be sold out soon. Potential bidders and business partners will line up with their brown envelopes full of doe. Politicians and high-level civil servants will be eating thosand baht bills for breakfast for longer than it takes to build the contraption. Main contract will be given to the Chinese. They have the worst track record for fatal accidents. Hundreds of Thais used to walking the railway will die every year. So will livestock on the loose. Trains, motorcys and cars will be crushed in unguarded railway crossings. Did I miss something?

No, I think you're 100% correct.

[buksida]

Thailand to refocus on more high-speed train routes
The Transport Ministry yesterday said it was against the idea of overhauling the existing rail track network to standard gauge nationwide, pointing out that it would cost some Bt500 billion and take at least 40 years to complete such a switch-over.
It will, however, be possible to focus on construction of a further four high-speed train routes: Bangkok-Chiang Mai, Bangkok-Nong Khai, Bangkok-Rayong and Bangkok-Hua Hin.

The government's policy is to establish a high-speed train link with China and other Asean member states, a move that would strengthen the country's rail transportation and competitiveness.

Speaking at the "The Rail System: Leading to the AEC" seminar, Deputy Transport Minister Chatchart Sithipan said the government would have to spend a huge sum to undertake a nationwide switch-over to standard gauge, which would also take decades to complete.

It could not change the entire rail system, he said, adding that such massive spending would also increase public debt and negatively affect low-cost airlines.

"Thailand's high-speed rail lines will be operated within the next five years, running to southern China. The route will also carry more Chinese tourists to Thailand," he said.

Chatchai said the government would focus on a dual-track system by setting up high-speed rail lines parallel to existing track.

High-speed trains require a standard gauge that is 1.435 metres wide, while the existing rail track in Thailand uses a middle-range gauge with a width of 1 metre. The government will maintain the middle gauge for heavy-load weight transportation, he said.

Viroj Rujopakarn, lecturer at the Faculty of Engineering of Kasetsart University, said that despite the high mutual benefit of an extended high-speed rail system, the government should also take into account the effect of such a programme on the level of public debt, as it would need to borrow Bt100 billion for construction.

In addition, the government should consider other impacts from the project, such as the rapid expansion of cities along the high-speed rail routes, he said.

Pramuan Sutheejaruwattana, deputy director of the Transportation Institute of Chulalongkorn University, said the government should prepare a supply chain to support the operation of high-speed trains by ensuring proper maintenance, as 100 per cent of the parts would need to be imported.

"The BTS [Skytrain] and MRT [underground] have been operated here for more than 10 years, but there has been no technology transfer. We don't have the technicians and parts [for an extended high-speed train system], so we would have to prepare both manpower and the related industry," Pramuan said.

Source: The Nation

[Terry]

............"Thailand's high-speed rail lines will be operated within the next five years, running to southern China. The route will also carry more Chinese tourists to Thailand," he said..........................High-speed trains require a standard gauge that is 1.435 metres wide, while the existing rail track in Thailand uses a middle-range gauge with a width of 1 metre. The government will maintain the middle gauge for heavy-load weight transportation, he said.....................

What a load of borrox

Why do these people come out with such ill informed rubbish.

1) It took 6 years for Taiwan to construct 345km of High Speed Rail - in a well organised and relatively efficient manner. Bangkok to Southern China is approx 11-1200km. Who's kidding who here

2) High speed rail needs standard gauge (1.435m) agreed. This should be built on elevated tracks all the way. No level crossings, no markets on the tracks etc = SAFE.

3) Heavy-load weight transportation on 1m gauge track? That is precisely what 5ucks it up..........

How do these people keep their jobs

[Frank Hovis]

Once the Pattaya to HuaHin ferry is pulling in 2 trillion baht, a piffling 500 billion baht shouldn't be a problem.

[Jimbob]

I have just visited China and used two classes of fast Train.
Both were very smooth, cheap and quiet.
D class train Zhengzhou to Bejing 640 km in 5 1/2 hours ,max speed 150 kph across the Yellow river plain.
C class train Bejing to Tang Gu near Tianjin 180 kms, top speed 290 Kph.
Of course the trick to fast trains is a straight line track which Chinese bulldozers (physical and bureaucratic) can easily acheive.
Thailand would be well served by electric Chinese Trains mostly based on Seimens technology.

[usual suspect]

So we're about to get this high-speed rail-link huh?
One post did mention the mess & disruption to traffic around the station-area while they did work there..OK, what about all the 100's of Kms that will get bulldozed, homes flattened, businesses closed, roads closed, rail-crossings shut, then within a few weeks a great orange strip will be produced care of 1000's & 1000's of over-laden 6-wheel trucks & umpteen rollers + graders..just same as when a new road is laid...
THEN NOTHING HAPPENS FOR ABOUT A YEAR!.. we'll get this barren strip of 'no-man's land all the way down from BKK, Chinese 'dozers will now have tracked their way past Hat-Yai, & the team laying the actual rails will have forged ahead all the way to the Chao-Praya river-crossing!!.. about 2 years behind the 'dozers & graders..T.I.T..we've all seen how it works.
Then what about the new roads here?..after 6 months they're all riddled with pot-holes 'cos of contractors skimping on materials & 'earning' kick-backs from this..will similar problems rise to the surface within months with this railway??
(Seems ALL the letters on this topic seem to be of a negative nature)

[Dr Mike]

Today the Beijing-Guangzhou train runs for the first time. Over 2,200k, built in less than 3 years. BJ > GZ is now a 21-24 hour journey-- by HST it will be 8 hours. Max speed 320K/hr (200MPH). But whearas Bj .Shanghai (4+hours) is competing with the airlines the 8 hours to GZdoes not threaten the airlines who have all lowered their fares.

[dozer]

I recently spoke to a senior manager in our Rail and Transit Division and he reckons the Chinese will get the lions share of the project, but he is fairly confident that they will get a share of the pie. He also,said that they are now looking to increase staffing levels next year, so it looks like it could actually be going to happen.

[Bristolian]

Bangkok Post 26 December - http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews ... s-in-china

China's high-speed rail network was established in 2007, but has fast become the world's largest with 8,358 kilometres of track at the end of 2010. That is expected to almost double to 16,000 kilometres by 2020.

The network, however, has been plagued by graft and safety scandals, most notably a deadly bullet train collision in July 2011 that killed 40 people and sparked a public outrage.

The accident was China's worst rail disaster since 2008 and caused a torrent of criticism aimed at the government amid accusations that authorities compromised safety in their rush to expand the network.

Authorities said they have taken steps ahead of the new line's opening to improve maintenance and inspection of infrastructure, including track, rolling stock and emergency response measures.

"The emergency rescue system and all kinds of emergency pre-plans are established to improve emergency response ability," according to a ministry booklet.

Still, safety concerns remain.

The Global Times newspaper, with close ties to China's ruling Communist Party, on Wednesday quoted a Ministry of Railways official acknowledging continuing problems despite intense efforts to solve them during trial runs.

"We can't make sure it's error-proof in the future, and we have been subject to a lot of pressure from the public," Zhao Chunlei, deputy chief of the ministry's transportation department, told the paper.

[Nereus]

Hua Hin station not in rail plans

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews ... in-project

HUA HIN - Thailand's most beautiful train station will not be disturbed by a project to bring high-speed train services to this resort town in Prachuab Khiri Khan province.

Pichet Kunathammarak, an official of the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTTP), said a new station for high-speed trains will be built at a new location which will ensure Hua Hin station remained unchanged.

The office under the Transport Ministry planned to use part of Royal Hua Hin Golf opposite the station for the new station but it would not affect the golf course, he added.

The State Railway of Thailand has leased the land to Boon Rawd Brewery Co.

The OTTP held its first meeting on the plan with officials and locals on Wednesday after the government agreed to build the high-speed line from Bangkok to the town.

The office is undertaking a feasibility study.

OTTP director Chula Sukmanop said construction could start next year and the first train could roll out of Bangkok to the town in 2019.

The train would be able to reach speeds of up to 250 kilometres per hour and take only one hour to cover the 225km route compared with at least three and a half hours on the fastest train today.

The fare rate has initially been set at 2.50 baht per kilometre, Mr Chula said.

The agency is studying four possible construction routes for the project. Building a parallel line to the existing southern route is probably the preferred choice as it will cause the least problems for people living along the tracks, according to Mr Pichet.

[Dr Mike]

Be sure to tell your small children about it, they will probably get to travel in the new trains before they retire.

[Bristolian]

http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/eas ... -govt-says

Pattaya high-speed link on track for 2018
Published: 12 Mar 2013

The government is aiming to complete the country's first high-speed train between Bangkok and Pattaya by 2018.
Three other lines linking the capital with Phitsanulok, Nakhon Ratchasima and Hua Hin are also scheduled to be completed the following year.

The planned four high-speed rail routes are part of infrastructure projects under the 2-trillion-baht borrowing plan to be tabled before the cabinet for its approval next Tuesday.

Barring any problems, the bill will be forwarded to parliament by the end of this month for final approval, with a target to complete all projects in seven years.

Other key projects to be financed with borrowing under the bill include 10 mass transit projects, dual track railways and road projects which have undergone environmental impact analyses.

Of the total borrowing, 1.65 trillion baht will be spent on railway development, 30.7 billion baht on water transport system development, 243 billion baht on road development, and 12.19 billion baht on road checkpoint development.

Chula Sookmanob, director of the Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning Office, said the government expected to invite bids for the four high-speed trains in September. Bidders will be required to specify their technology for the train in the bidding contest to enable the government to project the construction cost. Interest is expected from Japan, China, South Korea, France, Germany and Spain.

Mr Chula said the government will establish a new organisation before September to manage the high-speed links. He said the government hopes to be able to reduce the country's logistics costs by at least 2 per cent after all projects featured in the bill are completed.

The country's logistics costs stood at 1.75 billion baht in 2012 against its gross domestic product of 11.5 trillion baht in the same year.

The projects could also reduce fuel costs by at least 100 billion baht a year and cut travelling time between Bangkok and the provinces within a 300km radius to 90 minutes from three hours.

PM's Office Minister Varathep Ratanakorn said the government would meet state agencies on Friday to make sure it can clearly answer questions about the projects that may be raised in parliament.

The government has extended an exhibition on the projects by another four days to Saturday to make sure the public are informed about them, he said.

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva reiterated Monday he disagreed with the borrowing plan.

Mr Abhisit visited the exhibition with deputy leader Korn Chatikavanij and party spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut Monday at the Government Complex on Chaeng Watthana Road.

They were accompanied by Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong and Transport Minister Chadchat Sittipunt.

Mr Abhisit said the projects could be implemented through the original 300-billion-baht plan using the annual budget since some of them are already included in ongoing development plans. He cited dual-track railways as an example. He also said the planned high-speed railways should be extended to Nong Khai and Malaysia instead of ending at Nakhon Ratchasima and Hua Hin.

[hhinner]

So we're about to get this high-speed rail-link huh?
One post did mention the mess & disruption to traffic around the station-area while they did work there..OK, what about all the 100's of Kms that will get bulldozed, homes flattened, businesses closed, roads closed, rail-crossings shut, then within a few weeks a great orange strip will be produced care of 1000's & 1000's of over-laden 6-wheel trucks & umpteen rollers + graders..just same as when a new road is laid...
THEN NOTHING HAPPENS FOR ABOUT A YEAR!.. we'll get this barren strip of 'no-man's land all the way down from BKK, Chinese 'dozers will now have tracked their way past Hat-Yai, & the team laying the actual rails will have forged ahead all the way to the Chao-Praya river-crossing!!.. about 2 years behind the 'dozers & graders..T.I.T..we've all seen how it works.
Then what about the new roads here?..after 6 months they're all riddled with pot-holes 'cos of contractors skimping on materials & 'earning' kick-backs from this..will similar problems rise to the surface within months with this railway??
(Seems ALL the letters on this topic seem to be of a negative nature)

I think Usual Suspect is spot on with this. The track will have to be fenced all the way, with occasional stations and crossing points. We've all seen how people on foot and on bikes won't go to the next u-turn or bridge on a major road, preferring to have make shift bridges over central drainage ditches and running across traffic lanes. That sort of thing can't be allowed with high speed rail tracks. Yet how many crossings, official and ad hoc, are there just between Hua Hin and Cha-Am (or even only in Hua Hin)? Scale that up the full length of the railway and there are big problems looming when localities are split by this track. How many people are going to get Darwin Awards before everybody accepts that the only way over the track is the long way round? Maybe the only way is to build this on embankments or elevated concrete viaducts with crossings everywhere? That'll take longer than just using graders and rollers.

What about land acquisition. Even if it's built on existing SRT land I'll bet there are a lot of "tenants" who'll fight eviction. Just getting the land could take years, a la Hopewell in Bangkok.

[Dr Mike]

We should start a lottery, you choose the date when the first train runs to HH.
Nobody over the age of fifty can buy a ticket, you are not likely to live long enough to collect.

When I rode the Shanghai>> Beijing link, I saw many tunnels dug under the track but how frequently I could not say.