Chongqing - The inaugural two-way direct train service connecting China, Laos, and Thailand has recently launched, accelerating international trade. A train from Chongqing to Bangkok, carrying 64 containers of chemicals, will complete its journey in five days via Laos. Simultaneously, a train with Thai agricultural products is making the reverse trip to Chongqing in the same timeframe.

On December 29, a train loaded with 64 containers of chemicals left Chongqing, China, and is set to reach Bangkok's Madapu Station, Thailand, in five days. (Photo/The New Land-sea Corridor Operation Co., Ltd.)

This China-Laos Railway's new service, a key part of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC), launches the first direct rail freight route between Chongqing and Thailand. It slashes transit time by nearly 20 days compared to sea routes and offers a safer, greener alternative to road transport. This time efficiency translates to a logistics cost reduction of over 20%.

The inaugural Chongqing-Thailand rail freight route reduces transit time by 20 days compared to sea travel, providing a safer, greener alternative and cutting logistics costs by over 20%. (Graphics/Vivian Yan)

Wang Yupei, chairman of the New Land-sea Corridor Operation Co., Ltd., the operational platform of the ILSTC, introduced that this new route spanning about 2,800 kilometers, connects the railways of Thailand, Laos, and China, paving the way for increased economic and trade exchanges. 

Wang expected that more Thai agricultural specialties like durian, longan, and rice would enter China while Chinese goods like cars, motorcycles, and chemicals would find an efficient route to Thailand.

This development is particularly advantageous for Thailand, Chongqing's second-largest ASEAN trading partner and a key agricultural exporter. The new train service strengthens China-ASEAN connections, boosts bilateral markets, lowers transport costs, and encourages industrial collaboration. It's a move towards a more interconnected, mutually beneficial economic environment bolstering domestic and global economic dynamics.

Chongqing plans to build on this success by regularizing the China-Laos-Thailand train service and exploring the development of overseas warehouses and distribution centers. This will further enhance commerce and trade circulation between these regions and strengthen the supply chain support for the regional industrial economy.