Thailand is moving ahead with Phase 2 of its high-speed railway project, approving plans to expropriate land across four provinces to make way for construction of the 357-kilometer rail line between Nakhon Ratchasima and Nong Khai. The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) confirmed on 15 May 2025 that 1,991 land plots totaling 1,345 rai will be acquired in 19 districts across Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, and Nong Khai.
The land acquisition is part of the Thai-Chinese cooperative initiative to develop a regional high-speed rail connection stretching from Bangkok to Nong Khai. The second phase of the project is expected to cost approximately 341.35 billion baht and is currently under review by the Ministry of Transport before submission to the Cabinet.
SRT has allocated a compensation budget of around 12.42 billion baht, spread over a three-year period from 2026 to 2028. Construction bids are set to open in June 2025, with project completion and commencement of service projected for 2031. Environmental approval for the project was granted by the National Environment Board in November 2024.
Authorities aim to avoid the delays experienced in Phase 1 of the project, which spans from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima. In relation to this earlier phase, the SRT board recently approved a 181-day extension for Contract 3-2, covering tunnel construction at Muak Lek and Lam Ta Khong. The new completion date is set for 5 December 2025, pushed back from the original end date of 7 June 2025. SRT stated that the delay would not impact other parts of the project and cited previous land handover delays as the main cause.
The tunnel construction contract, worth 4.28 billion baht, includes 12.23 kilometers of infrastructure, comprising 8 kilometers of tunnels, 3.27 kilometers of at-grade track, and nearly 1 kilometer of elevated structures. As of April 2025, the contract was over 90% complete.
The tendering approach for Phase 2 will be streamlined into fewer contracts—around seven or eight—compared to the 14 separate contracts used in Phase 1, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Officials present at the SRT board meeting included Governor Nirut Amrapan, who emphasized the importance of learning from previous delays to ensure Phase 2 proceeds on schedule.
