Tipanan Sirichana, one of the representatives of the government’s official spokespersons, recently shared on a Sunday that the expansive railway construction, clearly delineated into three major phases, isn’t too far away from its test runs that are scheduled for the month of September across the entire route.
She elaborated that during these inaugural test runs, the encharged contractors will work meticulously to install control and telecommunications systems. Pledging the diligent efforts of the team involved, she assured that come 2025, the route is set to be fully primed and operational, complete with every envisioned system efficaciously in place.
It’s noteworthy, Sirichana elucidated, that these three elaborately planned phases of the double-track railway are a part of the seven highly prioritized double-track rail projects. The launching pad for these major developments was provided by the incumbent government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, with the set aim to foster improvement and expansion of the country’s transport infrastructure.
The ambitiously conceived seven projects span an eye-catching distance of an estimated 993 kilometers and had their humble beginnings in the year 2016. From these, two have marked their completion and have been purposefully operational. They consist of:
- The double-track railway spanning a total of 106 kilometers from Chachoengsao to Klong Sib Khao and Kaeng Khoi junction, which has been actively serving since 2019.
- The 187 kilometer double-track railway from Jira Road (spanning Saraburi-Nakhon Ratchasima) trailing to Khon Kaen, that has been in regular operation since the year 2020.
Sirichana apprised that two other noteworthy projects have been thriving in their construction stages. These are the Lop Buri-Pak Nampho project and the Map Kabao-Jira Road project. These sit comfortably within the seven crucial projects map.
Predictably, not limiting its vision to just seven projects, Prayut’s government also paved the way for the commencement of the construction of two more intriguing routes. These include the Den Chai-Chiang Rai-Chiang Khong routes and the Ban Phai-Mukdahan-Nakhon Phanom route.
Following the successful completion of these ambitious projects, the nation’s overall double-track railway ratio is slated for a significant increase. Rising from a mere 6%, this ratio will thrive to a whopping 65% of the entire prevailing rail network in the country, she further added.
Stacking onto these developments, the current government has its eyes set on seven additional projects in its second phase. These projects, promisingly covering a total distance of around 1,483km, will crucially hinge on the decisions of the next governing body, she concluded.
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