The China-Laos Railway will be the "new artery" of passenger and cargo transportation between Thailand and China

According to a report from Tailandia's China Daily on January 8, the China-Laos Railway, which has just celebrated its first anniversary of operation, will officially start its journey in 2023. As a new option for Thailand's transit trade with China, it will carry more missions and become a Apart from traveling abroad by air, it is also the best choice for Chinese citizens to travel to Thailand after the epidemic, especially Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan and other provinces in southwestern China with great potential. The Tourism Authority of Thailand hopes to welcome back at least 5 million Chinese tourists within the year, which is about half the level before the epidemic. At present, there are four main land transport routes from Thailand to China, among which the China-Laos high-speed railway is the most mentioned. The other three are Chiang Rai Line, Mukdahan Line and Nakhon Phanom Line. The Wenkan Line, which is expected to open in 2024, will generate exports worth 1 billion baht.

In 2022, the export volume to China through the China-Laos Railway will reach 2 billion baht, accounting for 5.1% of Thailand's total transit trade exports to China. Thai commodities with potential in the Southwest China market include: fruits, cosmetics, chili paste, curry paste, tapioca, nuts and household items, etc. The opening of the China-Laos Railway contributed 1.569 billion baht to exports to China in one year, accounting for 1.3% of the total transit trade between Thailand and China.