BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand will open bidding for eight construction contracts of the high-speed rail phase 2 in December. The line will run from Nakhon Ratchasima to Nong Khai.
Officials are now preparing performance specifications and reference prices for the upcoming construction and supervision contracts. Authorities are also speeding up land acquisition, often a major hurdle in such megaprojects.
Five stations on the 357-kilometre line
The new stretch packs a punch. It covers 357.12 kilometres and will have five stations. The investment budget is a massive 341.35 billion baht.
Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn chaired the first meeting of the responsible committee in 2026. The committee put the plans on the home stretch.
Korat-Bangkok extension as big goal
At the meeting, the committee also reviewed the construction progress of the first section. That runs between Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima.
Phase 2 will connect seamlessly and extend the high-speed line to the border with Laos. This brings the vision of a continuous link from Bangkok to Nong Khai within reach.
Phase 1 already over 55 percent
The first phase covers 250.77 kilometres and six stations. The budget for this section is 179.41 billion baht.
A total of 14 construction contracts were awarded. Two are already fully completed, ten are under construction, and two are still in the procurement process. Overall construction progress stands at 55.27 percent.
Phase 2 construction to start in 2027
The timelines for the extension are ambitious. Construction of the second section is expected to begin next year, 2027.
If everything goes to plan, trains should run on the new line from 2031. Work in hilly terrain is considered technically challenging.
Committee gives green light for new phase
The first meeting of the steering committee this year marks the start of the next project phase. Phiphat made clear the government intends to keep up the pace.
The planned total route from Bangkok to Nong Khai is regarded as a strategic key project for rail transport. It is meant to revolutionise freight and passenger travel with China in the long term.