Trans-Asia Railway to Be Built

 In 2006, Southeast Asian countries will start the programme of marketing and promoting a US$5 billion capital project building the trans-Asia railway.

 

The railway will go through 8 countries, stretching from Singapore passing through Malaysia, Thailand to the Chinese city of Kunming, with feeders to Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. This is considered one of key transportation projects of ASEAN to improve strong development in the economy, culture and tourism of regional countries.

 

The feasiblity study for this railway has been completed. ASEAN will hold a senior conference in Malaysia to call for investment from private companies, international organisations such as Asia Development Bank (ADB); United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and ASEAN’s dialogue partners (China, Japan, and South Korea). The conference will draft incentives including tax reduction for investment. The most expensive work involved in building the railway is detecting and disarming mines in countries which suffered from war in the past. Currently, some projects implemented in Malaysia have given rail and equipment to Cambodia to help build a 48km section of track between Sisophon and Poipet, on the Thai-Cambodian border. In February 2007, South Korea will finish funding to build the lengthen part of Nam Tok section in Thailand to Myanmar.