JBIC proposes Japan-China consortium for Thai railway project

May 4, 2018

Bangkok- A senior official of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation proposed Thursday the participation of a Japan-China consortium in a project to build a high-speed railway system linking three airports in Thailand.

Tadashi Maeda, chief executive officer of the Japanese government-held lender, made the proposal in a meeting in Bangkok with Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak.

According to JBIC, it will be the first time for Japanese and Chinese companies to propose their joint participation in an infrastructure project of a third country.

The planned railway system will link Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok, Suvarnabhumi International Airport in the Samut Prakan Province and U-Tapao Rayong-Pattaya International Airport in the Rayong Province.

It is part of the core infrastructure project of an economic zone in eastern Thailand called Eastern Economic Corridor, which is strongly promoted by the Thai government.

The construction of the railway system is also in line with China's One Belt, One Road development initiative and Japan's strategy to make the Indo-Pacific region free and open.

Somkid said its realization will be of benefit to Thailand, China and Japan all together. Jiji Press