The effect of the China-Laos Railway on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations connectivity has further expanded after the project linked up with Thailand to build a more convenient and faster channel that connects the three countries.
The Thailand-Laos cross-border passenger train service began trial operation on July 12, aiming to enhance connectivity between the two counties, Xinhua News reported the day after. The route will link up with the China-Laos Railway and officially start operations on July 19.
Trains depart from Bangkok and arrive at Khamsavath station in Laos’ capital Vientiane after about 10 hours. In the future, people will be able to travel between Bangkok and Kunming in China’s southwestern Yunnan province, which will spur trade, logistics, and people connectivity among Thailand, Laos, and China.
There is still a gap between the international freight and passenger trains on the China-Laos Railway and the China-Europe Railway Express, a major international freight train service, Shi Benzhi, professor at Yunnan University’s School of Economics, told Yicai. The connection with Thailand will improve the situation, Shi pointed out.
Laos has a population of just over 7 million people and its infrastructure is outdated, resulting in relatively higher logistics expenditure for transporting freights to other Southeast Asian countries, Shi noted. Thailand’s population totals over 70 million and traveling to other countries in the region, such as Malaysia, is convenient, Shi added.