Cabinet approves high speed train project

BANGKOK, July 11 (TNA) - The Cabinet on Tuesday gave the greenlight to the development of the first 253 km section of high speed train from the capital to the Northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima under the government budget of 179 billion baht. After the completion of the construction, the high speed train is expected to be opened in the next four years to serve about 5,300 passengers daily or about one fourth of the current passengers on this route. Assistant to PM's Office Minister Korbsak Phutrakul said after the cabinet approval, the four-year project will be forwarded to National Legislative Assembly for acknowledgement. Under the first phase, six high speed trains, travelling up to 250 kilometres per hour will run through six stations, starting at Bangsue in Bangkok. Each train has a capacity of 600 passengers will take about 1 hour and 17 minutes for the whole route to reach the destination in Nakhon Ratchasima. (TNA)