Construction has officially begun on the Khon Kaen–Nong Khai double-track railway project after the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) issued a notice to proceed to contractors on 25 April 2025. Initial work has started at three key stations as part of Phase 2 of Thailand’s railway expansion, aiming to strengthen transport connections across the region.
The project covers a distance of 167 kilometers and includes work at Samran Station in Khon Kaen, Udon Thani Station, and Nong Khai Station. It has a total budget of 28.679 billion baht and involves building an additional one-meter gauge railway line parallel to the existing track. Some adjustments to the route will also be made to improve efficiency.
Construction was assigned to the Ch. Thavee-AS Joint Venture, a consortium composed of Ch. Thavee Construction Co., Ltd., AS Associate Engineering (1964) Co., Ltd., Tipakorn Co., Ltd., and KS Joint Venture Co., Ltd. This is the first of seven railway segments planned for Phase 2. The remaining six sections are still under consultation with government agencies and are pending Cabinet approval.
SRT plans to transfer about 90% of its land to the contractors within the next one to two months. An additional 184 rai of private land required for construction remains pending, as the expropriation decree has not yet been enacted. A budget of 369 million baht has been earmarked for land acquisition for fiscal years 2025-2026, with the aim of completing land transfers within two years. The areas subject to expropriation will mainly be used for constructing overpasses and for realigning railway curves.
The construction period is expected to last 36 months, with operations scheduled to begin in 2028. In its first year of service, the line is projected to handle around 3,300 passengers per day, growing to 5,500 passengers by its 30th year. Freight capacity is estimated at 3.30 million tons annually at launch, increasing to 4.20 million tons over three decades.
Another major component involves altering the railway crossing at Highway 216 near Ban Chan intersection in Udon Thani. Instead of a ground-level crossing, an elevated three-kilometer railway section will be built. SRT has appointed consultants to develop detailed designs and conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), expected to take nine months and conclude in early 2026. The design process will include consultations with the Department of Highways and local communities.
As with similar cases under Phase 1, such as the adjustment near Ban Phai Station, the same contractors will handle the redesign and construction without a new tender process. The revised plans will remain within the original budget framework previously approved by the Cabinet.
Representatives from the State Railway of Thailand, local government bodies, and engineering consultants have been involved in supervising the early construction and planning stages.