According to media reports, the State Railway of Thailand announced that the cross-border railway between Thailand and Laos will be put into trial operation in the near future.
Railway construction has accelerated between China and the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the regional organization promoting economic, political, and security cooperation among 10 Southeast Asian countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
More railway construction and upgrades are expected in the region, enhancing the level of China-ASEAN connectivity.
The first phase of the China-Thailand Railway project started in 2017 and is expected to open in 2028. The second phase is scheduled to start in 2025 and is expected to open in 2030. The new Thai government is speeding up the construction of key infrastructure projects, the China-Thailand Railway is included.
In fact the plan is to extend the China-Thailand Railway beyond the two countries.
At the 31st meeting of the Joint Committee on Railway Cooperation between Thailand and China in May, the two sides discussed a project from Nong Khai in northeastern Thailand across the border to Vientiane, the capital of Laos. Thus the China-Thailand Railway will connect with the China-Laos Railway. The latter was completed and already opened to form a cross-border railway network between China, Laos and Thailand.
These rail links will not only boost Thailand's economic growth but also enhance Thailand's status as a hub in China-ASEAN economic and trade cooperation.
Take the China-Laos Railway as an example. Since its official opening, the railway has been flourishing in both passenger and freight transport: more than 30 million passengers and nearly 35 million tons of goods, including nearly 8 million tons of cross-border goods. The China-Laos Railway has also driven the development of areas surrounding key stations such as Vientiane and Luang Prabang, creating jobs and facilitating the development of industries including logistics, trade and tourism.
Compared with Laos, Thailand has a larger economy, a more mature business environment and better-developed tourism services. The completion of the China-Thailand Railway is bound to boost Thailand's exports, attract foreign investment and stimulate tourism.
After the China-Thailand Railway is connected with the China-Laos Railway, Thailand can become a regional hub for China-ASEAN trade, which would not only boost its economic momentum but also enhance its role in China-ASEAN cooperation.
From a broader regional perspective, the construction of the China-Thailand Railway is also a crucial step in strengthening regional connectivity under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) framework.
Since the RCEP officially took effect over two years ago, China and other member countries have worked together to explore and increase mutual trade, air and railway freight routes, continuously improving comprehensive logistics and customs. Landmark connectivity projects include the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in western China and the China-Laos Railway, taking China-ASEAN economic and trade cooperation to a higher level.
At the end of last year during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Vietnam, the promotion of the China-Vietnam cross-border standard gauge railway connection was included in a joint statement.
Prior to this, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet visited China, during which China expressed clear support for Cambodia's railway construction.
Given these new developments, we should recognize that the railway cooperation between China and ASEAN countries still has progress to make.
For one thing, the China-Laos Railway is the only major cross-border railway project to be completed and running smoothly. All the other cross-border railways are either under construction or still in the planning stages. For another, both the under-construction China-Thailand Railway and the planned China-Vietnam Railway face varying degrees of financial, environmental and social challenges.
We need to confront these difficult issues directly and strictly adhere to the principle of joint consultation and construction. We need to explore approaches to railway construction through practical experience, fully leveraging the positive role of railways in driving economic and social development. We need to promote China-ASEAN cooperation.
(The author is a researcher at the Research Center for Indian Ocean Island Countries of South China University of Technology. Translated by Yang Ziyi and Lin Rui)