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BANGKOK, Dec. 24-- The China-Thailand high-speed railway will upgrade Thailand's transport system and unleash economic potentials of region along the route, said a Thai expert. Thailand will enjoy more economic benefits once the high-speed railway connects the country's capital Bangkok with China and other countries, which will help attract more foreign tourists and narrow regional economic disparity of Thailand, Huang Bin, China Research Institute director of Kasikorn Research Center in Thailand told Xinhua. The construction of the first section of the railway line officially began on Thursday with a ground-breaking ceremony in the northeastern Thai province of Nakhon Ratchasima. The 253-km first phase of the railway links Bangkok with Nakhon Ratchasima province. China is responsible for design of the railway, supervision of construction and manufacturing of trains and signal systems, among others. Once completed, the railway with a maximum speed of 250 km per hour will be the first high-speed railway of Thailand. The second phase of the project will link Nakhon Ratchasima with Nong Khai on the border with Laos, which connects with the China-Laos railway in an artery railway linking Thailand, Laos and China. Huang, an expert who has been paying close attention to the project, looks forward to the operation of the railway. He envisions the boom of Thailand's economy in its northeastern part under the project. | 
