Prayut reaffirms support for Japan rail investment

Prayut reaffirms support for Japan rail investment

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha greets Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida at Government House on Monday. (EPA photo)
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha greets Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida at Government House on Monday. (EPA photo)

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Monday reaffirmed support for Japan’s investment in rail-development projects during talks with Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida.

The government remains confident in the quality and safety standards of the Japanese train technology, assistant government spokesman Athisit Chainuwat said after the meeting at Government House.

The two countries have agreed to joint investment in a high-speed rail line from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, and a double-track line from Kanchanaburi to Laem Chabang and Aranyaprathet. But the projects are proceeding slowly.

The Ministry of Transport is considering requesting invocation of Section 44 of the interim constitution to fast-track land expropriation for the double-track rail line.

Japan is competing with China on railway investment in Thailand. Like Japan, all train plans with China have encountered delays after several rounds of negotiations. The government eventually decided go it alone on investment in a new high-speed route from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima, but still promised to use Chinese technology.

Gen Prayut and the visiting minister also pledged continued support for the Dawei industrial project in Myanmar, as its benefits will go beyond Thailand, Japan and Myanmar to other countries in the Mekong subregion, according to the assistant spokesman.

The Japanese minister, who met Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai on Sunday, is on a regional tour which includes Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam.

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