Thailand's high-speed train project underway

[Terry]

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.

I am about to start an assignment in Bangkok amongst which there will be a contribution to these projects and I can assure you that they will all be built elevated as per the ARL.
You simply cannot have high speed trains running at grade (at ground level) in this part of the world. No amount of fencing or crossings could be tolerated.

The elevated concrete structure alone, will take considerably longer to build than the farcical opening date(s) stated in the press.

[PeteC]

Shades of things to come? Pete


Computer glitch opens BTS doors

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/3 ... n-too-soon

Published: 12 Mar 2013 at 17.56
Online news: Local News

Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc, the operator of BTS skytrain, said that the control room lost contact with a train, which then opened its doors too soon while approaching Siam Station on Tuesday morning.

Anat Arbhabhirama, director of the Bangkok Mass Transit System, said the computerised control room of the BTS lost connections with the train during a period of "malfunction" as it was approaching Siam station at 9.47am.

The driver took control of the the train manually, but he failed to park the cars correctly, and opened the doors before some cars had entered the platform. The doors remained open for two minutues.

Commuters took photos of the open doors, and tweeted them. The pictures were widely circulated, along with comments that questioned the safety of the BTS.

Mr Anat said the outage occurred with only one train, which regained control with the central system normally before it left Siam station.

[Bristolian]

http://thainews.prd.go.th/centerweb/new ... 3220010002

SRT to proceed with dual-track railway construction plan
BANGKOK, 22 March 2013 (NNT) – The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is set to proceed with the much-anticipated plan to construct the dual-track railway system, tentatively around the end of the year.

SRT Governor Prapat Chongsanguan revealed on Thursday that the construction of the dual-track railway system on 6 routes is anticipated to commence within this year.

The planned routes, which have received green light from the Cabinet, include the 187-kilometer Jira-Khon Kaen line, the 148-kilometer Lop Buri-Paknam Po line, the 132-kilometer Map Kabao-Jira line, the 165-kilometer Nakhon Pathom-Nong Pladuk-Hua Hin line, the 167-kilomter Prachuap Khiri Khan-Chumphon line and the Kaeng Khoi-Klong 19 line.

Mr. Prapat stated that all routes have passed the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) while the contractors are anticipated to be found before the end of 2013.

In addition to these lines, the SRT is planning to invest more in existing electric rail routes in Bangkok and nearby provinces, such as the Airport Link ad the Rangsit-Thammasat Red Line train.

He added that all extension projects are to be completed within 7 years, with funding drawn from the government’s 2-trillion-baht infrastructure mega projects.

[hhfarang]

High speed train plans for the next 7 years in Thailand...

[PeteC]

[Bristolian]

A report on property, in the Bangkok Post, said that the location for the High Speed Train station had been selected close to the Airport.

He said the government chose a 100-rai plot near Hua Hin airport for a high-speed rail station, a location that can also easily serve Phetchaburi's Cha-am district.

Unless they do something to make Phetkasem road one way the traffic will become even more intolerable. Still it's still a long time until the track can possibly be built. I hope !!!

[Dannie Boy]

A report on property, in the Bangkok Post, said that the location for the High Speed Train station had been selected close to the Airport.

He said the government chose a 100-rai plot near Hua Hin airport for a high-speed rail station, a location that can also easily serve Phetchaburi's Cha-am district.

Unless they do something to make Phetkasem road one way the traffic will become even more intolerable. Still it's still a long time until the track can possibly be built. I hope !!!

Actually, the traffic by the airport isn't that bad, it's only as you get into HH that it really snarls up, so probably a sensible location - had they tried to locate it close to the existing station, that would have been a nightmare. Mind you with the Venetian shopping development coming on line later this year, that will put a lot more traffic in that area, so overall, it probably will be gridlock if/when they develop the HS train service.

[buksida]

All aboard .... http://www.thaihispeedtrain.com/huahin/index.php

[Dr Mike]

At the moment I think all you posters under 50should pay attention, you may just live long enough to see this happen.
On the other hand China is the driving force for the HST in Laos, if they take it over they will start when they say they will and get it finished in a very short time. Then you can bet they will pressure Thai, their target destination is, of course, Singapore.

[usual suspect]

The video Buksi posted shows the train running on elevated rails above exsisting roads..super, how long did it take to get the airport rail-link completed? How many Km? Then on that note Dr Mike may be correct if the Thais are doing the construction-work the 200km from BKK to HH will be completed by the time these High-Speed trains are out-of-date...just like the rolling-stock used by SRT today.. T.I.T..555!

[Bristolian]

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/transpo ... t-likely[b]
French high-speed rail pact likely[/b]

Published: 11 May 2013 at 00.00 Newspaper section: Business

Thailand and France are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) next month on developing high-speed rail here and modernising the State Railway of Thailand's operations and services.

Fre´de´ric Cuvillier, France’s minister delegate for transport, maritime and fishing affairs, says his country is committed to helping Thailand develop its infrastructure.

Fre'de'ric Cuvillier, the French minister delegate for transport, maritime and fishing affairs, said the agreement will emphasise mutual cooperation on transport development.

The two countries must still decide on the private sector's role in developing the project as well as rules and regulations, he said.

The French government is committed to cooperating with the Thai government on developing its 2-trillion-baht infrastructure programme, said Mr Cuvillier.

He said France has a technological edge on its competitors in high-speed train expertise since it has been developing them for decades.

Another advantage is guaranteed safety, which France prioritises in the development process, said Mr Cuvillier.

He said France is committed to developing Thailand as a logistics hub for the upcoming Asean Economic Community.

The minister said his visit is aimed at strengthening bilateral relations in investment, transport and technical cooperation.

The French private sector will be encouraged to provide technical assistance for the project, he said.
Mr Cuvillier arrived in Thailand on Thursday and leaves tomorrow.

His arrival follows a visit by French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and Foreign Trade Minister Nicole Bricq to Thailand in February.

The trip also focuses on supporting projects in which French enterprises are involved, encouraging reciprocal investments in both countries and access to the Thai market for French products and investments.

[Dr Mike]

One of the features of the Chinese system is that the stops are limited. Here in Thai there will be 'local pressure' for every community to have a station. In China there aint no local pressure. The trains max at 300k/hr . more importantly they average about 240K/hr. BKK >> HH in 55 mins.

[buksida]

Chadchart firm on Hua Hin route

Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt is adamant the planned Bangkok- Hua Hin high-speed train route remains on target despite dire warnings about its investment cost.

"The Hua Hin route is the only way connecting the Thai-Malaysian border, at Padang Besar in Songkhla province," he said yesterday on the sidelines of the Home Buyers' Expo/NPA Grand Sale/Home Loan 2013 at in Bangkok's Queen Sirikit National Convention Center.

"We remain firm on the development plan."

The Yingluck Shinawatra government wants to build four high-speed train lines from Bangkok to upcountry as part of a 2-trillion-baht infrastructure investment.

Full Story: Bangkok Post

[oakdale160]

Its hard to work out--will all the HiSo Thais who have condos here pressure for the HST, at the moment trains are regarded as a low-class means of transportation. That changed in China. once people saw and rode on the trains, but you have to get them built first.
The French were the first to develop HST, but I have not heard much about them recently. Bombardier,a Canadian company, based in Montreal, are a leader in the trains themselves.

[Terry]

Along with CNR, Ansaldo, Siemens, Alstom, CAF, BREL, JIC (Shinkansen) - to name but a few

Wait for the bun fight to start..