China to join Bangkok Skytrain

China to join Bangkok Skytrain

BANGKOK (AFP): A Chinese state firm will build a 300 million dollar extension to Bangkok's debt-burdened light rail system known as the Skytrain, a report said Saturday.

The Shanghai Metro Construction Corp (SMCC), a Shanghai city enterprise, will come to the aid of Thailand's ailing Bangkok Transit System Co (BTSC), which owes creditors more than 30 billion baht (US$660 million).

The Chinese company will invest some $300 million in the project that will add 10 kilometers of track and six stations to the skytrain route, which currently spans 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) in Bangkok.

The Chinese-funded Skytrain expansion comes alongside a separate Chinese train project that city officials are expected to discuss with Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji during his visit to Thailand this week.

Bangkok governor Samak Sundaravej is scheduled on Monday to meet with the premier, who arrives in Bangkok Saturday, to discuss a proposed 80 kilometer (49.7 miles) suburban electric railway to be built by China Rail Construction Ltd, the Thai language Daily News reported.