The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has announced a one-year extension for the completion of the first phase of the Thai-Chinese high-speed rail project, stretching from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima. The new deadline is now set for March 10, 2026, following delays primarily due to land expropriation disputes.
SRT Governor Weeris Amrapal stated that construction was hindered by delays in land handover, resulting from disputes with tenants occupying the required areas. These disputes necessitated legal proceedings, which have now been resolved, allowing the SRT to transfer the land to the contractor by May 13.
The high-speed rail project, a collaboration between Thailand and China, aims to connect Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima in its first phase, with plans to extend to Nong Khai, linking with Laos and China’s rail networks. Initially slated for completion in 2021, the project has encountered multiple delays due to financing disagreements, contractor liquidity issues, the COVID-19 pandemic, and concerns regarding the Ayutthaya station’s impact on a UNESCO World Heritage site.
As of January 2025, the first phase’s construction was only 36% complete. In January, the government projected that the entire Bangkok-Nong Khai high-speed rail line would be operational by 2030, nearly a decade later than initially planned
