Construction of Thai railway on track to link with Laos

The Nong Khai-Vientiane section of the Thai-China high speed railway is expected to be complete in 2028, according to a report in the Bangkok Post.
The construction of this section is on track to connect to the Laos-China railway, opening up new opportunities to boost regional trade and other economic activities.

More passengers travel through Laos-China railway.

The Thai section of the Thai-China high speed railway will span more than 600 kilometres from Nong Khai to Bangkok. Once the construction of all sections of the Thai high speed railway is complete, it will expedite the transportation of goods and people between Thailand and China and beyond.
The Laos-China railway and the Thai section of the Thai-China high speed railway are both part of the planned Kunming-Singapore regional rail link, connecting China to Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.
The Laos-China railway, which runs between Kunming in China and the Lao capital Vientiane, opened for service in 2021 and has seen Laos become an increasingly important trade gateway between Southeast Asian countries and China.
The railway transports freight from Asia to Europe in a much shorter time, allowing export companies to grow their businesses in the region.
Through the China-Europe rail network, freight shipped from Southeast Asia can reach European markets in 15-22 days as opposed to 45 days by sea. 
Businessman Mr Vilay Soulatha said Laos has a great opportunity to boost economic growth following the opening of the Laos-China railway.
“Since Laos is now integrated with the rest of the region and beyond, there is no limit to the size of its market. Laos is part of the Asean Free Trade Area and has access to a population of more than 600 million, and another 1.4 billion people in China, and with the Laos-China railway now extending to Europe, yet another 600 million people,” he said.
“If Laos makes full use of the Laos-China railway connecting Asia and Europe, in the long run Laos could become a developed country like Singapore. Just as Singapore is a sea hub between Asia and Europe, Laos could be a rail hub between Asia and Europe.”    
As of November 3, 2023, the Laos-China railway had carried more than 23 million passengers from 70 countries and regions, and shipped over 27.8 million tonnes of freight between the 12 Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries, including Thailand and Vietnam, according to media reports.
Goods shipped by rail from Laos include rubber, cassava, coffee, minerals and potash, among others, while general consumer goods, machinery parts, auto parts and electronic products are shipped from China.
Lao experts say the country should now focus on the processing of agricultural produce and minerals for export via the Laos-China railway, and reduce the amount of unprocessed products currently exported.
This would add value to exported products and earn more much-needed foreign currency for Laos.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update December 20, 2023)