Thailand Railway Accelerates High-Speed Train Plan
Thailand's government is accelerating rail modernization, fast-tracking a high-speed train project between Nakhon Ratchasima and Nong Khai while pushing completion of diesel-electric locomotive overhauls by July. The State Railway of Thaila
Deputy Transport Minister Panya Chuphanik presided over the third supervisory meeting of 2025 on the State Railway of Thailand's (SRT) rehabilitation plan on April 24 at the Transport Ministry. SRT Governor Anant Phodnimdaeng and representatives from various transport and budget agencies participated as secretaries.
Panya disclosed that the task force monitored SRT's progress on directives from the February 26 meeting, urging acceleration of projects under the 2025 fiscal action plan within set timelines while emphasizing strategic infrastructure development priorities.
Key actions include reviewing a request for 2,850 additional positions aligned with rail transport policy, considering organizational strategy, revenue, expenses, and workforce gaps. A financial advisor will assess the proposal's viability for sustainable operations.
The ministry also pushed SRT to expedite procurement of 216 diesel rail units with spare parts, and directed accelerated review of appropriate sourcing methods for locomotives and wheels, prioritizing cost-effectiveness and returns.
For the Nakhon Ratchasima-Nong Khai high-speed rail phase 2 project, SRT must revise the Terms of Reference draft to align with ministry policy on safety and Thai national interests.
Regarding the suburban rail Missing Link extensions (Bang Sue-Phraya Thai, Makkasan-Huai Lumphong, and Bang Sue-Hua Lamphong), SRT established a committee to review design completion and cost assessments. Contract signing is targeted for October 2025.
For the diesel-electric locomotive rehabilitation project (21 units), procurement processes completed the draft TOR review stage. SRT aims to sign the contract by July 2025.
On freight transport efficiency for the Ladkrabang-Laem Chabang ICD route, with current 2024 volumes at 497,805 TEUs annually, SRT was directed to adjust plans for increased rail freight capacity, targeting 700,000 TEUs for 2026.
