Laos is to join a monthly meeting previously held between Thailand and China that will review updates on the progress of a plan to connect the Thai-Chinese high-speed rail system in Thailand with Laos.
The agreement was reached at the 29th meeting of the joint committee on Thai-Chinese rail cooperation last Friday, Bangkok Post reports.
The Thai side proposed asking Laos to provide regular updates on the progress of the new line with Laos – between Nong Khai and Vientiane – with both China and Thailand agreeing it should be a monthly feature.
Thailand and China also discussed adjusting certain aspects of the Bang Sue-Don Muang section of their joint railway, as well as a high-speed project connecting Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi airport, and U-Tapao airport.
The BHT 276 billion airport link will run along the same track as the Thai-Chinese project’s first phase, between Don Muang and Bang Sue.
An agreement on the China-Thailand high-speed railway project was signed in March, part of an ambitious 870km project that will eventually link the Chinese city of Kunming with the Thai capital of Bangkok, running through Laos.
The railway will carry trains from Bangkok to the Thai border town of Nong Khai, where a bridge will link the line to the Laos-China Railway, connecting the three countries of China, Laos, and Thailand.