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Thailand has reaffirmed its plan to complete the first phase of its high-speed rail corridor linking the country with China by 2030. The project forms part of a wider regional rail network connecting Kunming in China to Singapore through Southeast Asia. Alongside the rail infrastructure, Thailand and China have expanded cooperation in trade, defence and security, including measures to tackle cross-border financial fraud and online scam networks. The rail project is expected to strengthen regional connectivity, improve trade logistics and enhance passenger movement across neighbouring countries.
Thailand has reiterated its target of completing the first phase of its high-speed rail project connecting the country with China by 2030, as Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul concluded his five-day visit to China in the past week. The project is part of a broader regional transport network aimed at improving connectivity across Southeast Asia and strengthening trade and economic ties with China.
According to the Thai government, the first phase of the high-speed railway will connect Bangkok with Nakhon Ratchasima through a 250-kilometre corridor. Preparations are also underway to begin construction of the second phase, which will extend the line from Nakhon Ratchasima to Nong Khai near the Laos border.
Once completed, the Thai network will connect with Laos' existing high-speed railway, which links the country to Kunming in southern China. The overall rail corridor is part of China's long-term plan to develop a nearly 3,900-kilometre railway network stretching from Kunming to Singapore through several Southeast Asian nations.
Apart from the high-speed railway, Thailand is also moving ahead with another rail infrastructure project that will connect its conventional railway network with Laos in the north and Malaysia in the south. The government expects these projects to improve regional transport links, facilitate trade movement and strengthen cross-border connectivity.
The railway initiative has been under discussion for several years as part of China's Belt and Road Initiative, with Thailand gradually advancing construction after delays related to land acquisition, financing arrangements and project execution. The Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima section is considered the first major phase of Thailand's high-speed rail programme and is expected to play an important role in improving domestic and international rail connectivity.
During the visit, Thailand also requested China, its second-largest export market, to increase imports of Thai fruits and processed food products as both countries explored ways to deepen economic cooperation.
The two countries further agreed to establish a joint foreign affairs and defence coordination mechanism while expanding cooperation in the defence industry and personnel development. The discussions also covered stronger collaboration in intelligence sharing and transaction data exchange to combat online scams and financial fraud.
The security cooperation comes as Thailand continues to participate in regional efforts to dismantle organised scam networks operating across parts of Southeast Asia, particularly in Myanmar and Cambodia. These illegal operations have been responsible for large-scale online financial fraud targeting victims across multiple countries and have become a growing concern for governments in the region.
Source Reuters
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