Lao Railway Progress

[the-monk]

Asians countries have been, slowly but surely, forming closer relationships for quite a while, especially after the 2008 World financial crisis, they have learned not to depend on the Western institutions which offered no help in solving that crisis. They ( the Asian countries) have turned inward to ASIA and China has taken the leadership in pushing for further integration from Beijing to Paris, depending on how the integration implementation will evolved it could be a Win-Win situation for the participants.
An interesting article...
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/04/26/opin ... index.html

[tamada]

Here is more evidence that the Myanmar-China relationship is getting closer,

https://www.mmtimes.com/news/myanmar-ch ... ology.html

The previous President U Thein Sein wasn't so open to the Chinese but that started to change when Htin Kyaw succeeded him. He resigned in 2018 and ever since, they've been getting chummy with the Chinese again. With these big signatures, it looks like full speed ahead on the Belt & Road.

[FrazeeDK]

The Lao railway links into a China segment that extends the Yuxi railway line south of Kunming down through southwest China to Boten on the Lao border. Consider that not only are the Chinese building the Lao segment but a much longer rail line within China itself.. All scheduled for completion by the end of 2021. https://eng.yidaiyilu.gov.cn/qwyw/rdxw/88415.htm#p=11

[the-monk]

Thanks, You might be interested in this site which provides a more detailed description of the project and at the bottom of the page you get <<Other International Trains between China and nearby Countries >>.

https://www.travelchinaguide.com/china-trains/laos/

[FrazeeDK]

Longest tunnel in China-Lao Railway project "holed". 9,385 meters long spanning the mountain range between Luang Prabang and Vientiane Provinces. https://eng.yidaiyilu.gov.cn/qwyw/rdxw/114042.htm

[tamada]

^ I see that they still haven't bought a camera then.

[laksnrub]

Inside the tunnel looking south west, you can just see the half moon daylight coming through, as the break out of the end, , foreground is the 2400 ton 180mt long mobile rail track cutter support frame work used to install the precast concrete panels, support air duct ventilation, and conveyor belt drives removing the rock, as well as the main gas turbine unit which generates both power and air flow

[laksnrub]

Water supply line for the cutting head,in yellow and black, used during construction, after construction the pipe line supports a China standard 2 x 75mm and 1 x 100mm Fire Hydrant hose connection every 150mts, and the orange exhaust duct hanging vertical, no air is flowing, but when it does the duct fills out to 1000mm diam, the flow rate is 10mt3 a second

[laksnrub]

North end of tunnel opening

[laksnrub]

Vid of the tunnel build method

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eJG4QhgfwA

[laksnrub]

Land pile heads ready to take the box beam track support

[laksnrub]

Precast concrete wall panels in storage, waiting delivery to site

[tamada]

And not a single Chinaman or slave laborer in sight.

Truly bloody amazing, eh?

[laksnrub]

If you have good eyesight you can make out its a chinaman

[laksnrub]

More slave workers building the tunnel

[laksnrub]

I'll blow it up a bit, yep chinese, yellow helmet red writing on side

[laksnrub]

China Railway No. 5 Engineering Group first aiders supply ice to keep cool, the lower paid help

[tamada]

Thanks for that. All very informative too.

Regardless, I'm still not a member of China's Belt & Road Fan Club and only hold contempt for the corrupt foreign governments that allow themselves to be bought.

[laksnrub]

Thanks for that. All very informative too.

Regardless, I'm still not a member of China's Belt & Road Fan Club and only hold contempt for the corrupt foreign governments that allow themselves to be bought.

The belt and road project will take the 200klm/Hr train via Singapore strait across to Sumatra across to Jakata all the way to Bali, Africa is going well for the commies as well, they hooked up with the Sibrian track, lower India Iran, in future you be able to go Cape Town to Bali on the train, they called it the belt because they'll give you a flogging if you don't accept it, money buys a lot of corrupt politicians.

The Poms love a good train ride London to BKK by train 3 days, club car sleeping bunks, nice

[FrazeeDK]

OBOR is a Debt Trap for sure.. But, you have to balance the benefits. Any of the western countries doing similar work? The Chinese are buying into the world's resources to keep their economy afloat. They're ensuring they're connected.. Over here in Asia it is all about bypassing the Malacca Straits chokepoint. Heard the stories on the Thai-Chinese business associations (funded by China) pushing like crazy to get the Isthmus of Kra canal project going?? Or, at the very least a land transshipment corridor from the Andaman to the Gulf of Thailand.. They've already built shipping terminals and oil and gas pipelines across Burma from the Andaman side all the way up Kunming...

Last railway built in Ethiopia was around 1905 by the Brits. A meter gauge that has been defunct for years. Replaced by a modern standard gauge rail system that goes from Djibouti to Addis Ababa (and beyond) providing a reliable logistics route connecting the country with maritime shipping.

Nairobi to Mombassa SGR replaced a decrepit 1 meter gauge rail built again around 1905.. The system will extend towards northwestern Nigeria to the South Sudan as well as over towards Uganda and on..

Once the Lao railway is completed across Laos it'll mean the Thais will have to get crackin' to get their piece done from Bangkok to Nong Khai. Expect things to really get moving on this side of the river once an agreement between Laos and Thailand has been signed for the rail bridge that will support the system..