The railway connecting Thailand and China will start construction in October 2017.

The Chinese Embassy in Bangkok issued a statement announcing that China and Thailand will sign two contracts in September to start work on the first phase of the railway project with actual construction beginning by October.

Four-year project

Representatives from both countries have met to formalise details and price.

In July, the Thai government formally approved the first stage of the project.

It was previously estimated that the project will take four years and cost US$5.2 billion

Thailand is providing the funding and most of the materials, while China will provide the expertise and supervision.

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One Belt, One Road initiative

The first phase of construction is for the 253km high-speed railway between Bangkok and Nakhom Ratchasima.

China and Thailand are still working out the details of the second phase of the project, which will extend the rail line an additional 600km to Nong Khai on the Laos border.

Once both phases are complete, the railway will link up with a China-Laos rail line that is currently under construction.

The travelling time between Bangkok and Vientiane, the capital of Laos, is just four hours.

The track will go all the way up to Kunming.

The hope is that the railway will be extended south to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore as part of China's "One Belt, One Road" initiative aimed at improving trade and transport infrastructure in the region.

The railway was first announced by the two countries back in 2014.

It has faced a number of setbacks and delays over the years.

H/T People's Daily Online, Shanghaiist