Former Thai PM hopeful about cooperation with China in hi-speed railway

BANGKOK, Nov. 8 -- Thailand's former Prime Minister and Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva on Friday said his party is closely following the development concerning the country' s cooperation with China in developing high-speed railways.

During his term as prime minister, the Thai government was "in the process of negotiating with China in building high speed rail" to link Thailand to Laos, China, Malaysia and Singapore, Abhisit said.

"We still hope that the project will take place," he said while visiting the Chinese high-speed railway exhibition held in Bangkok.

The project, once completed, will play a constructive role in connecting Southeast Asian countries with Thailand as a traffic hub, Abhisit said.

The exhibition, opened last month, is scheduled to last till late November. It is organized by the Chinese embassy in Thailand and China Railway Corporation.

The Thai government plans to build four high-speed railways in next seven years, which will then make Thailand the first country in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to offer high-speed railway services.

Enterprises from China, Japan, the Republic of Korea and France are expected to bid for the project in 2014.