Thailand looking to Japan for railroad revamp

Bangkok

THAILAND is talking to Japan with a view to building three rail routes in the South-east Asian country, a Thai minister said on Saturday, the latest move by its military government to kick-start long-delayed plans to modernise its ageing rail network.

Thailand wants three new lines connecting the capital, Bangkok, with cities in the east, west, north and north-east and Japan had expressed interest in undertaking the work, said Thai Transport Minister Prajin Junthong. His announcement comes a day after Thailand signed a memorandum of understanding with China to construct two separate lines of 867 kilometres in the Kingdom, starting in 2016. "We're still in the process of talks (with Japan). It will be clearer after the Japanese government has finished its election and discussion will be made with both sides," Air Chief Marshal Prajin told reporters on the sidelines of a regional summit in Bangkok.