The first stage of the China-Thailand railway project, Thailand’s first standard-gauge railway, is expected to start in late December, as the environmental impact assessment of the project has been approved by Thailand, news.cn reported.

The first stage of the railway, stretching 253 kilometers, will link Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima in Thailand. Chinese technology, standards, and equipment will be used in its construction.

The whole project, with a total length of 845 kilometers, will be divided into four sections: (1) Bangkok-Kaeng Khoi; (2) Kaeng Khoi-Map Ta Phut; (3) Kaeng Khoi-Nakhon Ratchasima; and (4) Nakhon Ratchasima-Nong Khai.

It, after being connected to the China-Laos railway, will help promote exchanges and cooperation among the ASEAN members in trade, investment, logistics, tourism, science and technology, and culture.

The China-Thailand railway project, in keeping with the Belt and Road Initiative, is just the beginning of cooperation between the two countries. Thailand hopes the bilateral cooperation in construction of infrastructure will go even further and create more investment opportunities for both countries’ enterprises, said the Thai ambassador to China.