Bangkok: The Department of Rail Transport is moving forward to improve the efficiency of the Singapore-Kunming railway route, supporting Thailand as a logistics hub connecting global trade. Mr. Athiphu Jitranukroh, Deputy Director-General of the Department, presided over a seminar to disseminate information and gather opinions from relevant agencies as part of a project to study the utilization and limitations of the Singapore-Kunming Railway Network (SKRL). He emphasized the strategic importance of this railway route in connecting Thailand with regional and global markets, highlighting the need to urgently study track utilization and limitations to enhance trade and investment opportunities.
According to Thai News Agency, the Singapore-Kunming Railway is designed to connect Singapore through ASEAN countries to Kunming, Yunnan Province, China, covering a total of eight countries and divided into three railway routes:
1. Eastern Line: Singapore – Kuala Lumpur – Bangkok – Phnom Penh – Hanoi – Kunming, spanning approximately 5,500 km.
2. Central Line: Singapore – Kunming railway line – Bangkok – Vientiane – Shangri-La – Kunming, covering 4,500 km.
3. Western Line: Singapore – Kuala Lumpur – Bangkok – Yangon – Kunming, spanning 4,760 km.
Once completed, the Kunming-Singapore railway is expected to generate significant economic value, boost industry, tourism, transportation, resource movement, and trade negotiations among Southeast Asian countries.
Mr. Athiphu stated that all three railway routes will pass through Bangkok, making the city a pivotal logistics hub in global trade. Several sections of the railway have been developed, with some requiring double-track railways for improved transportation speed and convenience. The current US tariff measures have increased ASEAN countries’ interest in enhancing trade connectivity. This presents an opportunity for Thailand to improve the efficiency of the Singapore-Kunming railway route. Additionally, there is a need to harmonize customs procedures across countries to facilitate smoother and faster border transfers, such as consolidating customs checkpoints.
On December 19, 2014, the Thai government and the People’s Republic of China signed a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in developing railway infrastructure under the Thai Transport Infrastructure Development Strategy 2015-2022. This includes the development of a high-speed rail project between Bangkok and Nong Khai, part of the Singapore-Kunming railway line. The Thai government prioritizes this development as the three railway routes will converge in Bangkok, further establishing Thailand as a travel and transportation hub in the ASEAN region.