The second day of House debate on the THB2.2 trillion infrastructure project bundle put forth by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s government has yielded contentious discussion regarding the project’s goals and efficacy.
According to Kanok Wongtra-ngan, a Democrat MP, the planned high-speed rail system described in the infrastructure package would turn out to be prohibitively expensive for most Thais. He argued that were the plan to go ahead under its current wording, a 700 kilometer trip on the rail line would cost between THB1,800 and THB2,000, more than the cost of some air carriers.
Kanok also brought up issues surrounding the source of power for the proposed rail system, which he said the Pheu Thai Party had failed to adequately address.
Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt, speaking in defense of the Pheu Thai position, said that the infrastructure projects included many double-track trains as well as high-speed trains, a combination that would allow for budget and high-cost travelers to traverse the country with ease.
The Nation reports that the Council of State has ruled the infrastructure projects legal, thereby allowing them to proceed, pending the conclusion of the House’s debate.
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