Govt to speed up Thailand-China high speed railway project

BANGKOK, June 12 (TNA) – The Transport Ministry has planned to propose the use of Article 44 of Constitution to accelerate the the Thai-Chinese high speed train project between Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima after a long delay. During a meeting to follow up the basic infrastructure development projects, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak today, the Transport Ministry said it worked to eliminate obstacles of the railway development project and would propose to the head of National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), Gen Prayut Chan-ocha tomorrow to speed up the Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima high speed train project by invoking the powerful Article 44 of the Constitution to facilitate the project. Article 44 empowers Prime Minister Prayut, in his capacity as head of the NCPO, to issue orders in the name of national reform, with power over other branches of government. The meeting also discussed the development of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) project after the Cabinet agrees to the plan to construct the Bangkok –Rayong high speed railway, connecting three airports – Don Mueang airport in Bangkok, Suvarnabhumi airport in Samut Prakan, U-Tapao airport in Rayong. The bidding process is expected to begin this year. The meeting assigned the Transport Ministry to conduct a feasibility study on the construction of the high speed route, linking Ayutthaya, a key province, where Japanese factories are located to the EEC in order to facilitate goods transportation. The progress of the high speed and double track railway projects is expected to be seen from July to September. The planned construction of the high speed trains does not only calculate the profit only from the number of passengers but the government also takes into account the social and economic development along the routes that will follow the operations of the high speed trains. (TNA)