Thai High Speed Rail progress

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FrazeeDK
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Thai High Speed Rail progress

Post by FrazeeDK » September 20, 2022, 6:46 pm

amazing how much work has been done between Saraburi and Khorat. It looks like most of the route will be elevated. Here's a recent video of a guy riding an SRT passenger train and showing the HSR construction. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiG_mWnqPOc

Once he gets into the hills and mountains south of Khorat the really high elevated rails(50 meters) are the Thai SRT dual tracking project going by Muak Lek...

Most of the construction shown has occurred over the last year so it is moving quite rapidly. Back in Febuary several international news stories proclaimed the project was dead. More recently I saw one of the expat news sites claim "no work's been done..." It is in fact the complete opposite...


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Re: Thai High Speed Rail progress

Post by Khun Paul » September 21, 2022, 11:10 am

FrazeeDK wrote:
September 20, 2022, 6:46 pm
amazing how much work has been done between Saraburi and Khorat. It looks like most of the route will be elevated. Here's a recent video of a guy riding an SRT passenger train and showing the HSR construction. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiG_mWnqPOc

Once he gets into the hills and mountains south of Khorat the really high elevated rails(50 meters) are the Thai SRT dual tracking project going by Muak Lek...

Most of the construction shown has occurred over the last year so it is moving quite rapidly. Back in Febuary several international news stories proclaimed the project was dead. More recently I saw one of the expat news sites claim "no work's been done..." It is in fact the complete opposite...
Noted your comments but since recent events of bits falling off overpasses and bridges, JUST HOW SAFE will these elevated sections be, trains are a LOT HEAVIER than mechanically propelled vehicles and if they are High Speed a lot faster as well !!!!!!!

Humans are good but make mistakes, I mean they built the unsinkable but it still sank !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Re: Thai High Speed Rail progress

Post by parrot » September 21, 2022, 11:23 am

Probably not going to be high speed, but interesting feasability study by SRT:
Launch of the new train line Chaiyaphum-Nong Bua Lamphu-Udon-Loei
*Increase the potential to penetrate the tourist city routes
*Chuck-ka-cha-choon let the train pass through the house into 48 provinces
*Fill in the friendship network connecting Laos-Vietnam-China
Mr. Pichet Kunathamrak Director-General of the Department of Rail Transport (Khor.) revealed that Khor. Feasibility Study Project for Comprehensive Railway Network Development and connect areas across the country Support seamless multimodal transport (R-map) at Nong Bua Lamphu Province
with the launch of a new railway line, Square - Chaiyaphum - Nong Bua Lamphu - Loei, a distance of 333 km, which crosses Nong Bua Lamphu Province With Mr. Soraphong Paitoonphong, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport as the chairman.
because Nong Bua Lamphu Province It is close to the double-track railway project line. and high-speed rail projects Nakhon Ratchasima - Nong Khai period Able to plan the development of the next railway network to the permanent border crossing point Nam Hueng Friendship Bridge, Tha Li District, Loei Province
which is a border crossing between Thailand and Lao PDR that connects to Highway No. 4 of the Lao PDR in Chaiburi Province Continue to the city of Kaen Thao. and Luang Prabang, the gateway to trade and tourism, Lao PDR, as well as connecting to Vietnam and China as well
Mr. Pichet further said that the new railway line, Square - Chaiyaphum - Nong Bua Lamphu - Loei, crosses through the area of ​​4 provinces, starting at Square Station, Chaiyaphum Province, passing through Khon Kaen Province, Nong Bua Lamphu Province. and Loei City Station, Loei Province, the terminal station
In this seminar forum, there was a proposal to connect the new railway line from Udon Thani Province to Nong Bua Lamphu Province. Since it is a short distance of about 100 km, there is a possibility of development.
In addition, Nong Bua Lamphu Province It has high tourism potential, connected from Udon Thani province and beneficial to the agriculture sector. and industry of the province resulting in further benefits for the development of the province
Mr Soraphong said that Nong Bua Lamphu has high tourism potential. but connects to the main city area less As a result, the gross provincial product (GPP) is low compared to neighboring provinces like Udon Thani. high level Therefore, it is thought that neighboring provinces have similar average GPP potential. from the development of communication connections and tourism
Mr. Soraphong continued that Nong Bua Lamphu Province It is close to two nearby airports, namely Udon Thani and Loei, so it has to consider other links, such as the development of Lor Lor. 210. performed Considering the development of a rail system that connects to More Nong Bua Lamphu Province
Including from the plan for the development of the world horticultural area in the next 7 years (2526-2027) and the potential of the industrial estates in the province. Udon Thani, in which Nong Bua Lamphu Phatthana Province and grow together
Mrs. Siwaphon Chua Sawat, the provincial governor of Nong Bua Lamphu, said that Nong Bua Lamphu is a small province with a population of 509,000 people, an area of ​​approximately 3,800 square kilometers, or about 2.4 million rai. The main occupation is agriculture. It is characterized by wisdom, culture, environment and dharma.
transportation routes of Nong Bua Lamphu Province There was only road transport from Highway No. 210 as the main route to Udon Thani, resulting in a plan to link the train route from Udon Thani to Nong Bua Lamphu. as an opportunity to link further.
Reporters also reported that 77 provinces of Thailand There is a railway network with a total distance of 4,044 km in 46 provinces and Bangkok.
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Re: Thai High Speed Rail progress

Post by Laan Yaa Mo » September 21, 2022, 6:15 pm

'It is characterized by wisdom, culture, environment and dharma.'

Those are nice attributes to possess.
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Re: Thai High Speed Rail progress

Post by FrazeeDK » September 22, 2022, 5:24 am

that Chaiyaphum, Nong Bua Lamphu, Loei rail proposal won't happen for years if ever. There has to be some type of rationale for building it. Perhaps some of the various mines in Loei Province need heavy rail to move the ore cheaply. Maybe 10 years from now the population might be big enough to support passenger traffic..
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Re: Thai High Speed Rail progress

Post by tamada » September 23, 2022, 10:44 am

Laan Yaa Mo wrote:
September 21, 2022, 6:15 pm
'It is characterized by wisdom, culture, environment and dharma.'

Those are nice attributes to possess.
Now we know the real reason why Leeds never got the HS2 rail extension back in the UK.
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Re: Thai High Speed Rail progress

Post by ChrisThai » October 8, 2022, 7:50 pm

Question re high speed rail:

Does anyone know where the Udon station will be?

Will they use the existing Udon train station (for the high speed rail) or will they build a new Udon station (at a different location in Udon)?

Thanks.

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Re: Thai High Speed Rail progress

Post by FrazeeDK » October 9, 2022, 8:14 am

therre might be a video way back in one of the other rail topics tring showing an artist's rendition of what they plan. That is, a 3 story new station where the current on one is located. Both the SRT meter gauge and the new HSR would be elevated with the SRT being on the 2nd level and the HSR on the 3rd leve. The ground level is planned to be open, with old tracks removed and a roundabout around the station and connection to the road closer to Nong Bua lake.. There is currntly some back and forth over having both railways elevated from northwest of Rte 2 on the Nong Khai side down to south of the Ring Road on the southeast side...
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Re: Thai High Speed Rail progress

Post by Fuzzy Ken » October 12, 2022, 6:34 pm

Looks like the Lao/China Railway company, are developing the Nong Khai-Tanalang service ahead of the proposed new four track bridge. Maybe testing the water, so to speak. Certainly, good news whatever way you look at it. The bridge was opened back in 1994, but it was some 14 years later, in 2008/9, that the rail line was extended from the mid-point of the bridge, through to Tanalang.
The Laotian Times has an interesting article at this link: https://laotiantimes.com/2022/10/12/lao ... nong-khai/

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Re: Thai High Speed Rail progress

Post by FrazeeDK » October 12, 2022, 7:31 pm

and the one meter SRT line extended just about 1.5 kilomters from the bridge to Thanalang was paid for by the Thai goernment. Currently the one meter rail is being extended about another 10 kilomters to the north of Vientiane where a terminus station supporting that line is almost done. As I've proposed before, when we see the bridge building to support the HSR begin then we'll kmnow there a serious push to get the HSR complete. Once the bridge is up, I would imagine both the SRT dual track one meter gauge project and the HSR standard gauge project will be completed down to Udon. Given the build time for the KK elevated station of just under 3 years, IF we see construction start late this year, early next year (as is budgeted and planned) perhaps 3 years until full completion of the NK to KK segement.
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Re: Thai High Speed Rail progress

Post by ChrisThai » October 15, 2022, 11:48 pm

Dave & Ken, thanks! Followup questions:


Station Location


I am glad to learn that new station will be same location as the current station. The current location is close to U.D. Town, correct? (it seems that way on map, but just to make sure)

Impact on Udon

Once the high speed rail becomes operational, any opinions regarding the degree of impact on Udon?

For example, do you envision a lot of Chinese spending time in Udon? Or do you think most of them will just stay on the train and not get off in udon.

Thanks in advance.

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Re: Thai High Speed Rail progress

Post by Whistler » October 16, 2022, 10:42 am

Many more Chinese and rich Lao shopping, spending and occupying hotels. Where they do travel the Chinese like organised tour groups, so I expect a new industry with buses and walking tours with a tour guide leading processions with little flags. They don't interact with locals preferring to keep to Chinese oriented venues.

As soon as we see these groups arrive, it will boost local economy.
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Re: Thai High Speed Rail progress

Post by FrazeeDK » October 16, 2022, 4:02 pm

China is still doing extreme lockdowns for COVID in different provinces with only some Chinese tourists allowed out. Once their government decides to unlock the gate then you'll see a flood of Chinese tourists coming into Udon Province.. With a working high speed rail connection between Kunming and Vientiane, organized groups coming across the bridges in rented tourist buses is likely. Then down to Udon and beyond... In February of 2020 pre-COVID lockdowns I can remember encountering several Chinese tourist groups actually wandering behind their leader in Makro... The buses were parked out in the parking lot... It wil come.... WIll it benefit Udon greatly? I'm not sure since there are only lmited attractions here for Chinese tourists.. If Tour Companies do their usual mass booking at specific hotels and specific stores then yes, perhaps Udon will gain from it greatly... Plenty of relatively cheap hotels here with available rooms that would happily book 50-100 tourist groups...

On the Lao coming down, yes, plenty of Yellow tagged vehcles in the street and the usual glut of patients queuing up at Bangkok Hospital and AEK.. Just had some old Lao friends visit Friday and they're coming down for hopsital checkups (still no good medical care in Vientiane) and getting a car service done. They say for normal shopping Vientiane is OK now with prices only marginally higher than Udon.. Eviently the Lao government must have seen the merit in cutting back their ridiculous import customs duties...
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Re: Thai High Speed Rail progress

Post by stereolab » October 16, 2022, 4:28 pm

I have not seen any mention regarding the concrete structures on the approaches to Nong Khai coming from Udon. There a number of what look like road off-ramps, which have serious curves. Any explanations?.

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Re: Thai High Speed Rail progress

Post by FrazeeDK » October 16, 2022, 4:45 pm

they are a "half Ring Road" from the bridge down to Route 2 then east and back up to the River road.. It appears to be a full overhead clover leaf bridge that also overpasses the railway.
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Re: Thai High Speed Rail progress

Post by stereolab » October 16, 2022, 6:20 pm

FrazeeDK wrote:
October 16, 2022, 4:45 pm
they are a "half Ring Road" from the bridge down to Route 2 then east and back up to the River road.. It appears to be a full overhead clover leaf bridge that also overpasses the railway.
Thanks for the clarification, I dread to think of the carnage when that opens for public use.

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Re: Thai High Speed Rail progress

Post by FrazeeDK » October 17, 2022, 10:03 am

no more complicated than many interchanges down near Bangkok.. They'll get used to it... Wait till they finalize whatever monstrosity they will build at the South side of the Ring Road and Route 2.. It will have to make provisions for the elevated rail too...
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Re: Thai High Speed Rail progress

Post by parrot » October 17, 2022, 6:44 pm

For all the worries about things like the tunnel/overpass near Tesco, the by-pass road near the airport, or the overpass near Big C, traffic seems to move smoothly..........they don't appear to be the death traps that many envisioned.
I'll be interested to see how the city comes to grips with the Ring Road/train track problem near the KK highway. Whether it's an overpass or tunnel, the city will have to get moving on construction before much longer.

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Re: Thai High Speed Rail progress

Post by stattointhailand » October 17, 2022, 7:35 pm

Perhaps they are waiting for a few more years of global warming before they work out where the worst floods/landslides etc occur before finalising (spelt correctly so should not be underlined mr google or whoever) their plans

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Re: Thai High Speed Rail progress

Post by ChrisThai » October 18, 2022, 1:45 am

Good point --> "WIll it benefit Udon greatly? I'm not sure since there are only limited attractions here for Chinese tourists"

You are right, Udon definitely has limited attractions compared to, for example, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Pattaya, Bangkok, etc. So, for that reason, I would assume that most of the Chinese will stay on the train (not get off in Udon), especially the ones that are taking a long vacation.

As Dave mentioned, the only motive (that comes to mind) for getting off in Udon would be the lower cost of hotels, etc. in Udon. And perhaps the shorter distance from China (compared to Chiang Mai, etc). (but why not just travel a few more hours to get to somewhere else in Thailand that's more interesting that Udon?

Can anyone think of any other reason why they would get off the train in Udon (in addition to the above reasons), rather than staying on?

Perhaps another reason is, what if some Chinese only have a short timeframe for their vacation, like 2 days, perhaps they will focus on Laos and Udon, and then go back to China. In other words, they might not have enough time to all the way to Phuket or Chiang Mai? Perhaps that is possible.

Sorry for rambling, I am just training to brainstorm how much the train could impact Udon economically and otherwise....

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