The Thai and Japanese governments will sign an agreement on train system investment next month, Deputy Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said on Wednesday.
Mr Arkhom said the two countries agreed to sign the agreement by the end of May after his latest meeting with his counterpart at the Japanese Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry in Tokyo ended on Monday.
It will cover two train routes that Japan is keen to invest on - a double-track line of 574 kilometres from Ban Nam Phu Roon in Kanchanaburi to the Laem Chabang deepwater port in Chon Buri province and Aranyaprathet district in Sa Kaeo province. Another project the Japanese are keen on is a high-speed train linking Bangkok and Chiang Mai, which will have speeds of up to 300km/h over the 670 km distance.
The Kanchanaburi line will link the Thai sea outlet and a new port in Dawei to be built in the future and its offshoot route to Aranyaprathet will connect Thailand with Cambodia.
When Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha visited Japan in February, he has proposed that Japan build another route from Mae Sot district in Tak province to Mukdahan province, but Tokyo showed no interest in the offer.