Cabinet approves 106B baht Southern double-track railway projects

MGR Online•Politics•20d ago

Reader Briefing

The Cabinet approved three Southern double-track railway projects totaling 106,798.32 million baht and gave in-principle approval for three additional projects.

•The Cabinet approved three Southern line double-track railway projects with a total budget of 106,798.32 million baht.
•The approved projects cover the Chumphon-Surat Thani, Surat Thani-Hat Yai Junction, and Hat Yai Junction-Padang Besar sections.
•Three other projects (Pak Nam Pho-Den Chai, Den Chai-Chiang Mai, and Thanon Jira Junction-Ubon Ratchathani) received in-principle approval.
•The government will bear all costs through annual budget allocations and domestic loans guaranteed by the Ministry of Finance.

Overview

•The Cabinet approved three Phase 2 double-track railway projects for the Southern line totaling 106,798.32 million baht.
•The Chumphon-Surat Thani project has a budget of 36,892.32 million baht and a timeline from fiscal year 2026 to 2032.
•The Surat Thani-Hat Yai Junction project has a budget of 61,534.55 million baht and a timeline from fiscal year 2026 to 2033.
•The Hat Yai Junction-Padang Besar project has a budget of 8,371.45 million baht and a timeline from fiscal year 2026 to 2031.
•The Ministry of Transport adjusted project budgets to manage volatile cost risks, update material and diesel prices affected by Middle East conflicts, and update land expropriation costs.
•Construction of the Hat Yai Junction-Songkhla section, budgeted at 15,922.42 million baht, is postponed until trespassers are removed from the area.
•The State Railway of Thailand must review the suitability, marketing strategies, and business plans for the three projects approved in principle following observations from the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council.

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Key Entities

Organization

Cabinet(คณะรัฐมนตรี)

The government body that approved the railway construction projects.

Ministry of Transport(กระทรวงคมนาคม)ℹ️

The ministry that proposed the railway construction projects for approval.

State Railway of Thailand(การรถไฟแห่งประเทศไทย)ℹ️

The organization responsible for executing the railway construction projects.

Bureau of the Budget(สำนักงบประมาณ)ℹ️

The entity responsible for allocating the annual budget for the projects.

Ministry of Finance(กระทรวงการคลัง)ℹ️

The ministry responsible for arranging domestic loans and guarantees.

Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council(สำนักงานสภาพัฒนาการเศรษฐกิจและสังคมแห่งชาติ)ℹ️

The office that provided observations on passenger and cargo estimates for the projects.

Person

Ploytalee Ratsameesaengchan(นางสาวพลอยทะเล รัศมีแสงจันทร์)

Deputy Government Spokesperson who disclosed the Cabinet's resolutions.

Place

Songkhla Province(จังหวัดสงขลา)ℹ️

The location where the official Cabinet meeting was held.

Chumphon(ชุมพร)ℹ️

One of the termini for a double-track railway project.

Surat Thani(สุราษฎร์ธานี)ℹ️

A location involved in two approved double-track railway projects.

Hat Yai Junction(ชุมทางหาดใหญ่)ℹ️

A location involved in multiple railway projects, including a postponed section to Songkhla.

Padang Besar(ปาดังเบซาร์)

The terminus of the Hat Yai Junction-Padang Besar railway project.

Songkhla(สงขลา)ℹ️

The destination of a postponed railway section due to land trespassers.

Pak Nam Pho(ปากน้ำโพ)ℹ️

The starting point of a project approved in principle.

Den Chai(เด่นชัย)ℹ️

A location involved in two projects approved in principle.

Chiang Mai(เชียงใหม่)ℹ️

The terminus of a project approved in principle.

Thanon Jira Junction(ชุมทางถนนจิระ)

The starting point of a project approved in principle.

Ubon Ratchathani(อุบลราชธานี)ℹ️

The terminus of a project approved in principle.