Official Green Light for Bangkok to Pattaya High Speed Train Link

In a recent article on October 24th, 2019 by Reuters and the South China Morning Post it was announced that the Thai Government has officially signed an agreement between a consortium led by the CP Group in collaboration with the China Railway Construction Corporation to finally begin construction of the Bangkok to Pattaya high-speed rail link. The $7.4 Billion (USD) high-speed rail project will link Bangkok, and more specifically Suvarnabhumi and  Don Muang International Airports

 with the popular seaside resort town of Pattaya, and is an integral part of the Thai Governments plan to boost Bangkok’s connectivity to Southern China via it’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) initiatives aimed at enhancing the provinces of Chachoengsao, Chonburi and Rayong which have long been the industrial powerhouse of Thailand.

Construction of the 220km/137 mile rail link is expected to begin shortly, and high-speed trains which are capable of traveling in excess of 250km/h or 155mph are expected to begin operating on this route sometime in 2023. In addition to the aforementioned companies operating in the consortium, some 12 other companies, which have all been pre-approved by the former Thai military government are involved, with both public and private financing being provided by the Thai Government, and several prominent Japanese banks.

The Thai Government announced that the project i.e. all of the railway infrastructure, and the rolling stock will automatically revert back to the Thai Government after 50 Years per the terms and conditions of the aforementioned signed agreement, whereas other terms and conditions as stipulated within this agreement have not been made public at this stage.