December 4, 2015 CHINA and Thailand have agreed to build an ambitious 900km railway line in the latest sign of closer ties between them after Bangkok’s links with Washington have cooled.
THE two countries agreed in a memorandum of understanding to build a long-mooted railway from the Thai-Lao border to Bangkok, said Thailand’s transport minister.
China has ambitious infrastructure plans for the region to build rail links from Kunming in its southwest through Laos to Thailand.
China also agreed to buy rice and rubber from Thailand at the meeting in Bangkok, said the Thai commerce ministry.
“We want this project to take shape soonest, especially in terms of construction and we are trying to speed up construction by middle of next year,” Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith told reporters.
China has said it is supportive of Thailand’s military rulers who took power following a May 2014 coup that ousted an elected government.
Since then, Thailand’s generals have sought to counterbalance ties with Washington and launched a charm offensive towards China.
Thailand is one of Washington’s oldest partners in the region but following the coup, Washington downgraded diplomatic and military ties.
The agreements signed between China and Thailand could help boost the sluggish growth rate of Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy.
Construction of the railway was previously expected to begin in September. Arkhom said the design of the railway had delayed the start of construction.
The two countries did not agree on a price for the rail project at the meeting, he said.
China has offered to finance the project with a loan with 2.5 per cent interest but Thailand wants 2 per cent.
China agreed to buy 1 million tonnes of white and jasmine rice, and 200,000 tonnes of rubber from Thailand.
State-owned Chinese grains trader COFCO Corp said in a statement on its website late Thursday that it had signed a framework contract to import 1 million tonnes of Thai rice.
It said the company would start negotiations as soon as possible on batch contracts, while working to expand the domestic market for Thai rice.
中泰铁路合作项目为全长约867公里的复线铁路建设，时速约每小时180公里，全线包括坎桂-曼谷、坎桂-玛塔卜、呵叻-坎桂及呵叻-廊开共四条线路。
另据中粮集团官方微博消息，12月3日，在国家发改委副主任王晓涛和泰国商业部部长Mrs。 Apiradi Tantraporn的共同见证下，集团总裁于旭波与泰国商业部外贸厅厅长Mrs Duangporn Rodphaya在曼谷签署了100万吨泰国大米进口合同。
当地时间2015年12月3日，中泰双方代表在合作签约仪式现场。
Thailand Approves $5.5 Billion Bullet Train Project With China The project is part of China’s huge regional infrastructure plan to build a high-speed rail network connecting the southern city of Kunming with Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. Beijing: China has received the first overseas order to export its bullet train technology as Thailand approved a US $5.5 billion high-speed railway project aimed at linking Bangkok with southern China. The project is part of China’s huge regional infrastructure plan to build a high-speed rail network connecting the southern city of Kunming with Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. Construction has already begun… Read more »
OK better be good to own people
3月25日凌晨，南宁本地富二代的年轻人给环卫工们送上雨衣，传达关爱
Thailand throttles back on rail project with China
BANGKOK — Thailand will sharply scale back plans for a long-distance railway amid disagreements with China over financing, such as how to split costs estimated at up to 530 billion baht ($15 billion).
http://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/International-Relations/Thailand-throttles-back-on-rail-project-with-China
中泰铁路合作再现波折 推迟至年底开工
外媒报道称，泰国交通部长阿空·丁披他耶拜实25日称，泰国将不再寻求中国的融资支持用于修建从曼谷至呵叻的铁路工程。阿空说，泰国将自己对该项目进行融资。
据 美国之音电台网站3月26日发表的题为《中国要价太高 泰中铁路开工推迟》的报道称，连接中国昆明与泰国的铁路工程项目全长873公里。此前泰国希望中国能为该铁路线第一段工程（即从曼谷至呵叻的施工项目）提 供融资。但中国提供贷款的利率以及对工程总投资的预算都无法令泰方接受。阿空说，中国理应提供他所说的“考虑中泰关系的友好利率”。
报道称，泰国对该段铁路建设的估计造价为1700亿泰铢（1泰铢约合0.18元人民币——本网注），而中国的造价评估为1900亿泰铢。
阿空说，中泰铁路线工程将推迟至年底开工。该工程原定今年5月启动。
据美国《华尔街日报》网站3月25日报道称，泰国交通部长阿空25日说，泰国不再谋求中国对连接曼谷到呵叻的铁路项目的资金支持，选择自行为该项目筹措资金。
http://news.sina.com.cn/c/nd/2016-03-27/doc-ifxqswxn6439884.shtml