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Published on October 23, 2007

After a meeting with the State Railway of Thailand yesterday, Sansern said the ministry wanted the project to get back on track.

The Cabinet last week approved borrowing of Bt18.9 billion by the railway to repay debt incurred in the link's construction.

The ministry will finalise details of the loans within two weeks. The Finance Ministry will guarantee them. The loans have to be repaid after the project is completed.

The Transport Ministry named senior official Supoj Tsaplom to head a working group to consider an extension of the Airport Rail Link.

Construction work on the line started two years ago.

It will be 28.6 kilometres long and will stretch from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Makkasan in Bangkok.

The Cabinet also approved plans to build new railway lines between Khon Kaen and Nakhon Ratchasima and Laem Chabang Port and the container depot at Lat Krabang.

Assistant government spokesman Chodechai Suwannaporn said the rail extensions were part of a national plan to enhance the transport of goods.

The new railway will save exporters and importers transport time, Chodechai said.

Watcharapong Thongrung

 The Nation