Thai railway reconstruction delays in GT: even brothers keep careful accounts

Thailand reducing railway cooperation will also impact on China. Oriental IC data

Sino-Thai railway projects again twists and turns of the news, on March 28, the global times in an editorial, the Sino-Thai cooperation in railway sector should "even brothers keep careful accounts", said, this course probably not worth accident.

According to Reuters March 25 quoted Thailand traffic Minister akong day of said said, in the Thai railway project first paragraph railway construction of starts time will from this year May postponed to in August or September, reasons is previously Thailand hope China can for the railway line first paragraph Engineering (that from Bangkok to nakhonratchasima of construction project) provides financing, but China provides loan of interest rate and on engineering total investment of budget are cannot makes Thai party accept.

According to earlier reports, the Thai side asked to lower the loan interest rate from 2.5% to 2%.

In addition, the Wall Street Journal said Thailand planned to use Chinese-made train and employ Chinese engineers to build the railway. Thailand Bangkok to Khorat is now being discussed with the Chinese side the cost issue, Thailand hopes that the budget was 170 billion Thai baht (about 30.6 billion yuan), China is the recommended amount of 190 billion baht (about 34.2 billion yuan).

According to Thailand, the Bangkok Post reported, Thailand's Prime Minister Prayudh said on March 24, Thailand Thai railway project in independent financing, however, the project is still Thailand with Chinese intergovernmental project. Prayuth said he had Thailand decided to inform the Chinese side, China expresses its understanding and acceptance.

The twists and turns will lead Thailand postponed the railway under construction.

Latest position on March 25 Thailand Prayudh said on television, Prime Minister, is expected in July will be able to start.

On March 24, the national development and Reform Commission Deputy Director, National Bureau of Ning Ji喆 also said at the Boao Forum for Asia Forum on international cooperation for capacity, Sino-Thai railway had clearly started in May this year.

A person close to railway systems believes that twists and turns arise because Thai railway projects in Thailand project contract attached many conditions, China is willing to compromise.

The Bangkok post quoted Prayudh said wholly-owned model, Thailand will pass the State budget funds and domestic loans to Thai railway projects financed. China had earlier stressed the ways in which financing is Thailand's free, as long as they can raise funds for railway construction, and China doesn't care about Thailand by what mode of financing.

Earlier, when both sides signed the Sino-Thai railway project has also signed a package of plans, including from Thailand imported rubber and rice, China imported rubber type problems failed to reach consensus.

The global times said in a review, yawangaotie undertaken by Chinese companies in Indonesia, after Indonesian President to attend the foundation stone laying ceremony has been featured "start file is not complete" due to "pause" and then "return". South-East Asia's situation is different from China, seems pretty high risk complications arise. China and Thailand are friendly countries, such projects also demand "even brothers keep careful accounts." This mutually beneficial cooperation, China can Thai preferential rate must be the bottom line, the bottom line is not to be political breakthrough, it must let the Thai side is clear.

Critics, from Yunnan to Singapore's trans-Asian Railway, once completed, will promote the economic development of all countries. To prevent a country that China has more reason to worry for the building of the railway, saying it could become their chips in negotiations with the Chinese side to improve the asking price. This game is inevitable, but stick to their own interests is not the absence of elements. If the Chinese side on the Thai side to make super "MFN" concessions, then China benefits the bottom line will be a comprehensive breakthrough, other railway cooperation will be competing to raise and is constantly asking price. Not back to this considering the need for China to Thailand to fully understand.

Akong March 25, also said Thailand plans to cooperate with China in the building of this railroad, including the purchase of Chinese-made trains, using signalling systems, hiring Chinese engineers to build this railway and so on. Which also shows on financing interest rate no maneuvering on both sides and does not affect the pattern of mutual cooperation, but will not affect the Sino-Thai relations as a result.

"Tokyo consensus institutions on Sino-Thai cooperation in railway sector again episode quite exciting. "The global times said in a review, as the main rivals of China's investment in Southeast Asia, we have long been accustomed Japan mix, needn't to be Japan's competition as we have a baseline of planning and external cooperation.

(Editors: Pan Yi burn UN657)
2016-03-28 16:51:02
Surging

中泰铁路再现延期波折 环球时报：亲兄弟明算账

泰国缩小铁路合作规模将对中国造成冲击。 东方IC 资料

　　针对中泰铁路项目再次出现波折的消息，3月28日，《环球时报》在社论《中泰铁路合作应“亲兄弟明算账” 》中说，这样的好事多磨大概不值得意外。

　　据路透社3月25日援引泰国交通部长阿空当天的表态称，中泰铁路项目第一段铁路建设的开工时间将从今年五月推迟至八九月，原因是此前泰国希望中国能为该铁路线第一段工程（即从曼谷至呵叻的施工项目）提供融资，但中国提供贷款的利率以及对工程总投资的预算都无法令泰方接受。

　　根据此前报道，泰方要求将贷款利率从2.5%降低至2%。

　　另外，《华尔街日报》称，泰国计划使用中国制造的火车，并聘请中国的工程师来建造铁路。泰方与中方目前正讨论曼谷至呵叻段的造价问题，泰方希望预算是1700亿泰铢（约306亿元人民币），中国建议的数额是1900亿泰铢（约342亿元人民币）。

　　据泰国《曼谷邮报》报道，泰国总理巴育3月24日表示，泰国将独立融资中泰铁路项目，尽管如此，该项目仍然是泰国与中国的政府间项目。巴育称，他已将泰国的决定告知中方，中方对此表示理解和接受。

　　这一波折将会导致泰国这段铁路动工的推迟。

　　最新情况是3月25日晚上泰国总理巴育在电视上说，预计7月份就能动工。

　　3月24日，国家发改委副主任、国家统计局局长宁吉喆还在博鳌亚洲论坛国际产能合作分论坛上表示，中泰铁路已经明确今年5月开工。

　　一位接近铁路系统的人士认为，中泰铁路项目出现波折是因为泰国方面在项目合同外附加了许多条件，中方不愿妥协。

　　《曼谷邮报》引述巴育的介绍称，采取独资模式之后，泰方将通过国家预算基金拨款和国内贷款为中泰铁路项目融资。中方此前已经强调过，以何种方式融资是泰国的自由，只要能融到铁路建设的资金，中方并不在意泰方采取何种融资方式。

　　早前，双方在签订中泰铁路项目时还签署了一揽子计划，包括从泰国进口橡胶和大米，中方则就进口橡胶种类问题未达成共识。

　　《环球时报》在评论中称，印尼的雅万高铁由中国公司承建，在印尼总统参加奠基典礼之后还曾出现“开工文件不全”造成工程“暂停”的事情，后来又“复工”了。东南亚的情况不同于中国国内，出现各种节外生枝的几率看来蛮高的。中泰是友好国家，这么大项目两国还需“亲兄弟明算账”。这个互利的项目合作，中国能够对泰给予优惠的幅度必然有底线，这个底线是不能被政治考量突破的，这一点一定要让泰方十分清楚。

　　评论认为，从云南到新加坡的泛亚铁路一旦建成，必将促进沿线所有国家的经济发展。要防止某个国家认为中国有更多为建成这条铁路着急的理由，认为这可以成为它们在与中方谈判中提高要价的筹码。这当中利益博弈无可避免，而中方对自己利益的坚守是不可缺席的要素。如果中方对泰方做出超“最惠国待遇”的让步，那么中方的利益底线就将被全面突破，其他的铁路合作者必将竞相加码，不断刷新要价。中方不后退的这个考虑需要让泰方充分了解。

　　阿空3月25日同时表示，泰国仍计划在修建这条铁路上与中国合作，包括购买中国生产的列车，使用中国的信号系统，雇中国工程师承建这条铁路等等。这也说明双方就融资利率没谈拢，并不影响彼此合作的大格局，更不会因此而影响中泰关系。

　　对于“东京有的舆论机构对中泰铁路合作又生插曲颇为兴奋。”《环球时报》在评论中称，作为中国在东南亚投资的主要竞争对手，我们早已习惯日本因素的搅和，完全不必要将日本的竞争作为我们规划对外合作的一条基线。

(责任编辑：潘奕燃 UN657)
2016-03-28 16:51:02
澎湃