CHIANG RAI – Thailand’s new double-track railway, the Den Chai, Chiang Rai, Chiang Khong line, continues to move forward. Overall, civil works have passed 53%, tunnel excavation is progressing, and the project still targets an opening in 2028 (B.E. 2571). On land acquisition, officials report that 987 plots remain before the handover is complete.
Overall construction progress
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) reports that, as of January 2026 (B.E. 2569), the project shows:
- Route length: 323.10 km
- Construction budget: 72,921 million baht
- Overall civil works progress: 53.421%
- Behind schedule: 0.220% (planned 53.641%)
- Construction period: 72 months (6 years)
- Planned service start: 2028 (B.E. 2571)
Three construction contracts
Contract 1: Den Chai to Ngao (about 104 km)
- Contractor: ITD-NWR (Italian-Thai Development PCL, Nawarat Patanakarn PCL)
- Contract value: 26,560 million baht
- Main work: At-grade and elevated rail (about 103 km), 5 stations, 2 stops, 2 tunnels, signaling and telecom systems, plus related works
- Progress: 51.530%
- Behind schedule: 6.919% (planned 58.449%)
Contract 2: Ngao to Chiang Rai (about 132 km)
- Contractor: CKST-DC2 (CH. Karnchang PCL, Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction PCL, Buriram Panasap Co., Ltd.)
- Contract value: 26,890 million baht
- Main work: At-grade and elevated rail (about 132 km), 4 stations, 8 stops, 1 tunnel, signaling and telecom systems, plus related works
- Progress: 58.857%
- Ahead of schedule: 3.837% (planned 55.020%)
Contract 3: Chiang Rai to Chiang Khong (about 87 km)
- Contractor: CKST-DC3 (CH. Karnchang PCL, Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction PCL, Chiang Mai Construction Co., Ltd.)
- Main work: At-grade and elevated rail (about 87 km), 3 stations, 3 stops, 1 tunnel, signaling and telecom systems, plus related works
- Progress: 48.473%
- Ahead of schedule: 3.331% (planned 45.142%)
Tunnel excavation update (4 tunnels)
The project includes four tunnels, with a combined length of 27.03 km. Current progress ranges from about 60% to 70%:
- Tunnel 2, Phrae: 1.059 km, 60.24% complete, behind by 23.06%
- Ngao Tunnel, Lampang: 6.211 km, 72.52% complete, ahead by 1.72%
- Mae Ka Tunnel, Phayao: 2.7 km, 71.53% complete, ahead by 7.51%
- Doi Luang Tunnel, Chiang Rai: 3.4 km, 67.17% complete, ahead by 9.75%
Approval to use agricultural reform land (105 plots)
On February 18, 2026 (B.E. 2569), the Agricultural Land Reform Committee (ALRO) approved the use of land in agricultural reform areas to support the construction of the Den Chai, Chiang Rai, Chiang Khong railway.
Approved areas include:
- Lampang: 53 plots, about 188 rai 3 ngan 57 square wah
- Chiang Rai: 42 plots, about 173 rai 23 square wah
The approval follows rules allowing state projects to use land for public benefit, including transport and logistics. Authorities will collect land-use compensation based on the rates set under ALRO regulations (B.E. 2561) and their amended version (B.E. 2563).
Land acquisition progress: 8,800 plots total, 987 still not completed
SRT says this new rail line will help connect four northern provinces with strong tourism and trade potential. The route passes through 59 subdistricts across 17 districts in Phrae, Lampang, Phayao, and Chiang Rai.
The project includes 26 service points:
- 4 large stations
- 9 small stations
- 13 stops
For land acquisition and ownership transfer:
- Total plots: 8,800
- Delivered: 8,109
- Remaining: 987
1) Private land titles: 7,209 plots (659 remaining)
- Delivered: 6,766
- Remaining by contract:
- Contract 1: 8 plots (Phrae and Lampang)
- Public-use land: 2
- Owner refuses expropriation: 3
- Owner deceased: 1
- Not subject to expropriation: 2
- Contract 2: 409 plots (Lampang, Phayao, Chiang Rai)
- Waiting for survey result: 1
- Survey not requested: 2
- Owner deceased: 2
- Mortgaged: 4
- Additional expropriation pending: 401
- Contract 3: 242 plots (Chiang Rai)
- Waiting for survey result: 4
- Not signed due to budget pending: 20
- Survey issue unresolved: 2
- Additional expropriation and owner refusal: 1
- Not signed yet (about 75% already contracted): 185
- Waiting for survey result: 29
- Contract 1: 8 plots (Phrae and Lampang)
2) ALRO land (Sor Por Kor): 944 plots (154 remaining)
- Delivered: 790
- Remaining by contract:
- Contract 1: 4 plots (Phrae and Lampang)
- No survey result yet: 2
- Overlapping forest boundary dispute under appeal: 2
- Contract 2: 16 plots (Lampang and Phayao)
- Budget pending for contract: 2 (Lampang)
- Farmer refuses expropriation: 1 (Phayao)
- Additional expropriation pending: 13
- Contract 3: 134 plots (Chiang Rai)
- No survey result, owner claims Sor Kor 1: 3
- Land occupation cases: 5
- Not signed due to budget and survey pending: 86
- Additional expropriation, waiting for survey: 27
- Not signed and budget pending: 13
- Contract 1: 4 plots (Phrae and Lampang)
3) Certificates of utilization (Tor Kor): 116 plots (26 remaining)
- Delivered: 90
- Remaining by contract:
- Contract 1: 2 plots (Phrae), the committee has not confirmed rights for both
- Contract 2: 3 plots (Lampang)
- Budget pending for contract: 1
- Additional expropriation: 2
- Contract 3: 21 plots (Chiang Rai)
- Extra forest boundary checks pending: 7 (by the Nan Provincial Land Development Office)
- No details provided for the rest
4) Forestry land under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment: 238 plots (25 remaining)
- Delivered: 213
- All remaining plots are in Contract 2 (Lampang and Phayao):
- Additional expropriation pending: 20
- Budget pending for contract: 4
- Family ownership dispute: 1
5) Community land allocation in national reserved forests (Kor Tor Chor): 324 plots (76 remaining)
- Delivered: 248
- Remaining by contract:
- Contract 1: 1 plot (Lampang), under review for overlapping rights confirmation
- Contract 2: 75 plots (Lampang)
- Budget pending to call for contracts: 73
- Additional expropriation: 2
6) Treasury Department land: 18 plots (all pending)
- Contract 1: 7 plots, waiting for area-use permission from the Director-General of the Treasury Department
- Contract 2: 6 plots, waiting for area-use permission
- Contract 3: 5 plots, waiting for area-use permission
7) Nor Sor Lor land: 31 plots (29 remaining)
- Delivered: 2
- Remaining by contract:
- Contract 1: 4 plots (Phrae), waiting for the land office survey to request permission and withdraw the Nor Sor Lor status
- Contract 2: 17 plots (Phayao)
- Waiting for the land office survey to request permission and withdraw the Nor Sor Lor status: 15
- Additional expropriation: 2
- Contract 3: 8 plots (Chiang Rai), waiting for the land office survey to request permission and withdraw Nor Sor Lor status
