Recently, Money (NEB) accredited Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for 2 significant Thai infrastructure projects: the Mae Kam reservoir in Chiang Rai and a dual-track railway within the South. The assembly presided over by Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon, was also attended by Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-Archa.
According to a source, the board gave the green light to the EIA stories for each Thai infrastructure projects, stating that the construction of the Mae Kam reservoir would alleviate droughts and floods, whereas the dual-track railway would enhance freight transport and help southern tourism. These initiatives shall be introduced before the cabinet, with contractors required to stick to the situations stipulated in the EIA stories.
The proposed Thai infrastructure dual-track railway spans 321 kilometres and can move through 4 southern provinces—Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, and Songkhla—with a complete of sixty five stations. The estimated building cost is US$1.82 billion, together with expenditure for land expropriation (US$4 million), consultancy and management (US$35 million), and construction (US$1.78 billion).
The Surat Thani-Songkhla railway is anticipated to provide cost-effective, protected, and handy transportation to the area. The number of passengers is anticipated to reach 7.7 million within the first yr of service, 10.4 million within the following decade, and 16.1 million in twenty years, reported Bangkok Post.
However, some stories state that a 29-kilometre stretch between Hat Yai district and Muang district in Songkhla has been occupied by approximately 6,000 families, posing potential challenges for the railway challenge implementation..