Thailand, China ink agreement on new rail tracks construction

BANGKOK, March 12 (TNA) - The Thai and Chinese governments have signed an agreement on the joint development of new rail tracks in Thailand. Thai Transport Minister Air Chief Marshal Prajin Juntong and visiting Deputy Director of China's National Development and Reform Commission Wang Xiaotao signed the cooperation agreement in Bangkok on Thursday, under which both sides will jointly develop new rail tracks from Nongkhai Province in the Thai Northeast to Rayong Province in the Thai East, passing through the Thai capital. The signing of the pact followed the third Sino-Thai meeting on the standard-gauge rail tracks project recently. Based on the agreement, Thailand will take charge of foundations and power supply of the project, while China will build rail sections past valleys which will require Chinese technologies. Besides, a Thai-Sino joint venture will then be set up to handle operation and maintenance services of the project, with China to run the services in the first three years and to jointly run with Thailand from the 4th to the 7th years, after which Thailand will take over the operation. (TNA)