High Speed Rail Link to Chiang Mai Unlikely
A Transport Ministry plan to invest 800 billion baht in a rail network allowing train speeds of 250km per hour is unlikely to serve Chiang Mai.
The latest twist after years of discussion is that a 937km route from Bangkok to Hat Yai on the Malaysian border would provide better returns than one from the capital to Chiang Mai.
As well as the long southern route and that to Chiang Mai, the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning, are also considering Bangkok to Nong Khai, the border with Laos, and Bangkok to the coastal industrial city of Rayong.
Critics of the plan highlight the consistent targetting of railways in the south by insurgents and the commonplace damage to Thailand’s narrow tracks caused by heavy rains.
Editor’s Note: Despite promises by previous governments, few improvements have been made to the (mainly single line) service linking Chiang Mai with the capital since it opened in 1921. Journeys of around 12 hours duration are frequently hours late.
