Narrative
Full Description
Project narrative
In January 2002, China pledged US $4 billion towards building a Trans-Asian railway track stretching from Singapore to China. A portion of these funds will be used to finance the construction of the track between Bangkok, Thailand and Kunming in southern China. In October 2013, formal discussions began for the railway and a Memorandum of Understanding was signed stating that China would provide technical experts and equipment in exchange for 1 million tons of white and jasmine rice and 200,000 tons of rubber from Thailand, while Thailand was to pay in part or totally for the project. However, in August 2014, both parties announced their exit from this bilateral arrangement due to the military coup in Thailand that lead to a review of all existing public investment projects. By the end of August 2014, the project was reinstated. On December 19, 2014, another Memorandum of Understanding for the Sino-Thai Railway and Agricultural Cooperation was signed. There has been no updates on the execution of this rice agreement as of 2024. Record ID#38130 captures the potential loans independent of the rice purchase agreement.