Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit has ordered the State Railways of Thailand (SRT) to check the Thai-Chinese high-speed train project thoroughly, to ensure that all stages of construction and the materials being used meet internationally-accepted standards.
The checks will focus on the first phase of the project, from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima, covering a distance of 250.77 km. 14 civil engineering contracts have been awarded in the first phase and construction commenced during the administration of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha.
Suriya said that concerns have been voiced over the quality of construction work undertaken by the joint venture between Italian-Thai Development (ITD) and “China Railway No 10 Engineering Group (Thailand)”, after the collapse of the new State Audit Office building, which was being built by the same joint venture.
The transport minister says he has instructed SRT Governor Veeris Ammarapala to undertake the comprehensive checks on all stages of construction, beginning with the specifications, to ensure the finished project is safe before it becomes operational.
