New Railway to Connect China Kunming to Bangkok Thailand

The China-Thailand Railway will start construction in the end of October and be completed in three years, said Zhu Xijun, general manager of the China Railway Construction Co.'s Southeast Asian branch, on Aug 26 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Zhu added that the Chinese and Thai delegations have held six rounds of talks and the two governments will sign framework agreements in early September.

The railway will vitalize Thailand's economy, which expects to receive an increase of 2 million Chinese tourists annually and promote Thailand's agricultural imports, according to Zhu.

The round-trip fares from Kunming to Bangkok will be 700 yuan ($109.20), around half or one third of the airfare, and the freight fees are equivalent to one ninth of the airfare.

Apart from cooperation in railway construction, China and Thailand can still join hands in improving infrastructure such as ports and airports, said Wu Zhiwu, Charge d'Affaires and interim of the Chinese Embassy in Thailand.

As Thailand has keen demand and China has strengthens in equipment manufacturing and technology, the two countries can share advantages, Wu explained. For example, the two sides can cooperate in constructing buildings, and China can also help Thailand develop solar energy and build agricultural processing lines.