The project was officially inaugurated at an expo staged at Bangkok’s Sofitel Hotel. Shiro Sadoshima is the Japanese ambassador for Thailand. He claimed Japan’s expertise in trains and public transport would ensure the Thai equivalent of the Shinkansen bullet trains would be safe, reliable and run to schedule.
Minister Termpithayaphaisit explained that the initial northbound line to Phitsanulok would feature six stations. These are Bang Sue, Don Mueang Airport Station, Ayutthaya, Lopburi, Nakhon Sawan and Phitsanulok. If construction commences as planned, hi-speed services could be running by 2022.
12GO ASIA says the long-term aim is to extend the line from Phitsanulok up to Chiang Mai in the far north of the country. The current series of public transport projects is an initiative started by the government of Thailand to improve travel choices and cut down journey durations on key routes.
Talks on high speed Bangkok Phitsanulok rail link speed up
News in Asia
Thailand’s transport-minister says construction of a hi-speed rail link from Bangkok to Phitsanulok should kick off in 2019. Speaking to reporters at the weekend, Akhom Termpithayaphaisit said the final blueprints for the Thai-Japanese project were being draughted.