The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has revealed plans to start bidding for the construction of the Bangkok–Rayong HSR Line by the first quarter of 2014. Though the line was initially planned to connect Bangkok to Pattaya City, it will now extend to Rayong province, under the 2 trillion baht transport development scheme of the government. The Bangkok–Rayong HSR will be developed in phases, with construction starting first on the Pattaya–Rayong route. The SRT will study the Bangkok–Rayong HSR; it expects to complete the environmental impact study within the next six months. Meanwhile, the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning will study the other three lines linking Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Nong Khai, and Padang Besar.
