State Railway Delays Land Handover Due to Expropriation Dispute
PUBLISHED: March 6, 2025, 16:37
The completion deadline for the Thai-Chinese high-speed rail line connecting Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima has been extended for another year. The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) board approved a 350-day extension after assessing the progress on the Khok Kruat–Nakhon Ratchasima section.
Previously scheduled for completion by March 25, 2025, the new deadline is now set for March 10, 2026, according to SRT governor Weeris Amrapal. The construction faced delays in land handover due to an expropriation dispute with tenants occupying a building on the proposed site.
The resolution process required court intervention, but a settlement has been reached, allowing the SRT to hand over the land to the contractor by May 13. In January, the government announced that the Bangkok-Nong Khai high-speed rail line, which will connect to China’s high-speed rail network through Laos, is set to become operational by 2030.
Since the groundbreaking ceremony in December 2017, progress on the first phase has lagged, with only 36% completion as of January this year. The second phase, extending from Nakhon Ratchasima to Nong Khai, has yet to commence.
Delays have been attributed to financing disputes with China, contractor liquidity issues, the pandemic, and concerns surrounding the Ayutthaya station’s construction, which may impact a UNESCO World Heritage site.
