by black69wolf69 » Tue Jul 02, 2019 2:36 pm
This is actually one of the few good, much needed development projects which I support, irrespective of who builds it (in this case a Chinese contractor). I feel however that Chinese building standards and their road design is rather poor when compared to the way the Thais build roads. For example, Chinese companies don't build passing lanes on sloping sections of road and they prefer manholes rather than drainage covers. Anything to save a few bucks. They also don't know much about road shoulders.
However, this probably won't all be smooth sailing. Apart from the unsettled land compensation issues, there could be other reasons why this project may not get completed. Case in point, the upgrading of a section of strategic highway in eastern Myanmar initially awarded to CRBC (a Chinese state company, which is incidentally the same contractor as for this road). They were using road construction materials from a sacred limestone mountain and the local community rallied against them. In the end, they left, with most of their equipment and a new contractor (not sure if it's Thai or Burmese) has taken over.
Still, I think perhaps an upgrade of the existing road and/or a better quality rail link may have been a better idea.
This is actually one of the few good, much needed development projects which I support, irrespective of who builds it (in this case a Chinese contractor). I feel however that Chinese building standards and their road design is rather poor when compared to the way the Thais build roads. For example, Chinese companies don't build passing lanes on sloping sections of road and they prefer manholes rather than drainage covers. Anything to save a few bucks. They also don't know much about road shoulders.
However, this probably won't all be smooth sailing. Apart from the unsettled land compensation issues, there could be other reasons why this project may not get completed. Case in point, the upgrading of a section of strategic highway in eastern Myanmar initially awarded to CRBC (a Chinese state company, which is incidentally the same contractor as for this road). They were using road construction materials from a sacred limestone mountain and the local community rallied against them. In the end, they left, with most of their equipment and a new contractor (not sure if it's Thai or Burmese) has taken over.
Still, I think perhaps an upgrade of the existing road and/or a better quality rail link may have been a better idea.