中国与泰国终于于周五签订新的铁路系统投资协议以建造新的铁轨来提升泰国的铁路系统。
这份谅解备忘录由交通部长Prajin Juntong和中国发改委主席徐绍史签订。与会的还有总理巴育以及中国总理李克强。
自军队5月22号掌权以来，中国总理李克强是访问泰国的领导人中最有权势的一位。
习先生也将在周六参加大湄公河次区域峰会，参加此次峰会的代表团包括泰国，中国，越南，柬埔寨，老挝和缅甸。
在周五所签订的这份协议下，中国将为泰国的两条线路首次建造标准轨距的铁轨。第一条长达734公里，第二条长达133公里。
这个项目将是政府间的合作，进一步的财务细节包括建造成本还有待讨论，泰国政府的声明中说。
这些线路的轨距是1.435米，能让列车以180公里的时速运行，未来还能适应时速达250公里的高铁。泰国国家铁路局目前使用的是1米轨距的系统。
周四，新华社估计建造成本可达106亿美元（3500亿泰铢）。
建造可能于2016年开始，并于2022年结束，协议中规定。
两个国家同意前期的准备工作应该尽早开始，可能于2月份开始。
巴育将军说新的铁路系统是为常规列车制造的，但是并不排除未来将高铁带到泰国。
这个计划是为了提高泰国的铁路交通，以及让泰国成为连接东南亚和中国的交通枢纽。
中国计划建造另外一条铁路从中国南方到老挝的万象，这条线路将与廊开府的泰国线路相连。
这个铁路协议将促进东南亚和中国的经济增长，中国铁路公司的杨勇对新华社说。
巴育将军将于周一和周二访问中国。他计划坐高铁从北京到天津，泰国政府发言人说。
两国还签订了一个农业协议，中国将从泰国进口更多的农产品。商业部长Chatchai Sarikulya代表泰国签署了这个协议。
巴育将军在与李克强会面前称中国将从泰国购买200万吨的大米，但是并没有具体说明购买的时间表。（中国进出口网）
The long wait for new rail system investments ended on Friday after Thailand and China signed an agreement to build new tracks to fulfill Thailand's ambition to improve its hapless train system.
The memorandum of understanding was signed at Government House by Transport Minister Prajin Juntong and Xu Shaoshi, chairman of the National Development and Reform Council of China. The ceremony was witnessed by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.
It capped a visit by the Chinese premier who is the most prominent world leaderto visit the country since the military seized power on May 22.
Mr Xi will also attend the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) summit in Bangkok on Saturday, along with delegates from Thailand, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laosand Myanmar.
Under the agreement signed on Friday, China will build the country's first standard-gauge tracks on two routes. The first one will run from Nong Khai province to the Map Ta Phut deep-sea port in Rayong province via Nakhon Ratchasima province and Kaeng Khoi district in Saraburi for 734 kilometres. Asecond 133-kilometre line will run from Kaeng Khoi to Bangkok.
The project will be carried out on a government-to-government basis with further financial details including the construction cost to be discussed,according to Thai government statement.
The lines will consist of 1.435-metre tracks that will enable trains to run at speeds up to 180 kilometres per hour, and can accommodate high-speed trains up to 250km/h inthe future. The State Railway of Thailand currently uses the 1-metre gaugesystem.
The Xinhua news agency on Thursday estimated the construction cost at US$10.6 billion (350 billion baht).
Construction could start in 2016 and be completed in 2022, according to the agreement.
The two countries agreed that preparation should start as soon as possible. ACMPrajin said early this month that it could begin in February.
Gen Prayut has said that the new system will be built for normal trains only but did not rule out a plan to bring high-speed trains to Thailand in the future.
The train project is in line with plans to improve its rail transport and the country's ambition to be the transport hub linking Southeast Asia with China.
China plans to build another line from its southern border to Vientiane in Laos which will connect to the Thai line in Nong Khai
The train deal will foster economic growth between China and Southeast Asia,Yang Yong of the China Railway Corporation told Xinhua.
Gen Prayut will visit China on Monday and Tuesday. While there, he plans totake a high-speed train ride from Beijing to Tianjin, said government spokesman Yongyuth Mayalarp said.
The two countries also signed another agreement on agriculture under which China would buy more farm products from Thailand. Commerce Minister Chatchai Sarikulya signed the deal on behalf of Thailand.
Gen Prayut said before meeting with Mr Li that China would buy 2 million tonnes of Thai rice but did not specify the timeframe of the purchase.
