Three routes short-listed for Trans-Asian rail link<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Three routes have been short-listed for a
\nproposed Trans-Asia railway link from Singapore to Kunming in
\nChina, Malaysia's transport minister said yesterday.<\/p>\n
The railway link will be in the form of a network based on the
\nthree recommended routes with Thai capital Bangkok as the central
\npoint, Ling Liong Sik was quoted by Bernama news agency as
\nsaying.<\/p>\n
All three routes will use an existing railway line which
\nstarts from the island republic of Singapore, passes through
\npeninsular Malaysia and continues to Bangkok.<\/p>\n
Under the first proposal, the railway line will branch off
\neastwards from Bangkok to the Mekong Basin countries of Cambodia
\nand Vietnam and then to Kunming.<\/p>\n
Under the second proposal, a railway line will be built from
\nBangkok to the Vientiane, the capital of land-locked Laos and
\nonwards to Kunming. Laos currently does not have a railway
\nsystem.<\/p>\n
The third proposal links Bangkok to the Burmese capital of
\nRangoon and eastwards to Kunming.<\/p>\n
Ling said Malaysia's national railway company, KTM Bhd., had
\nbeen appointed as the project coordinator.<\/p>\n
Malaysia will finance a feasibility study which is expected to
\ncost two million ringgit (US$800,000). The 10-month study is
\nexpected to start in January next year after a consultant has
\nbeen appointed, Ling said.<\/p>\n
Ling said the study would then be submitted to the supervisory
\nbody comprising experts from Burma, Cambodia, China, Malaysia,
\nSingapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.<\/p>\n
The financing and construction of the rail project will be
\ndecided after the study.<\/p>\n
The idea of a pan-Asian railway that could some day be linked
\nto Europe was discussed last March at the 25-nation Asia-Europe
\nMeeting in Bangkok.<\/p>\n
The railway is expected to speed up development in the Mekong
\nregion.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/three-routes-short-listed-for-trans-asian-rail-link-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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