Three Thai double-track railway projects set for Cabinet review
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) plans to submit three major double-track railway projects in the southern region for Cabinet consideration in December, aiming to begin the bidding process in 2026.
Anan Pho-nimdaeng, SRT deputy governor and acting governor, announced today, November 17, that three southern routes under the second phase of the double-track rail development programme are progressing the fastest.
These routes include:
- Chumphon – Surat Thani (168 kilometres)
- Surat Thani – Hat Yai Junction – Songkhla (321 kilometres)
- Hat Yai Junction – Padang Besar (45 kilometres)
All three routes were approved by the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) on August 26. The next step is to present the projects for Cabinet approval. If no additional issues arise, the proposal may be submitted by December 2025 or, at the latest, early 2026.
The projects will be submitted as a single package, although bidding will not open for all routes simultaneously.
To avoid past issues where simultaneous tenders allowed certain contractors to divide projects among themselves, the SRT will stagger the bidding process, with a gap of approximately two months between each tender.
The most technically and socially complex of the three routes is the Surat Thani – Hat Yai – Songkhla line. The segment from Hat Yai to Songkhla, a previously active rail line decommissioned in 1978, faces significant encroachment issues along nearly 20 kilometres of its path.
The SRT is currently assessing possible solutions, including:
- Constructing elevated tracks in areas with dense encroachment
- Collaborating with the Community Organisations Development Institute (CODI) to support relocation and address social issues
- Issuing two separate Notices to Proceed (NP): one for Surat Thani – Hat Yai, and a conditional NP for Hat Yai – Songkhla, allowing access only once encroachment and land acquisition reach an acceptable threshold (e.g. 70 to 80%)
This phased approach was previously used successfully on the Hua Hin double-track rail project and may be adapted here to avoid delays.
KhaoSod reported that if Cabinet approval is granted within the planned timeframe, the SRT expects to spend the next five months preparing bidding documents and cost estimates, aiming to open tenders in 2026.
The remaining three lines under Phase 2: Pak Nam Pho – Den Chai (281 kilometres), Chira Road Junction – Ubon Ratchathani (308 kilometres), and Den Chai – Chiang Mai (189 kilometres), are still undergoing review by relevant agencies.
Once approved, they will be submitted to the Cabinet following the southern route proposals.
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