China is planning to construct a railway system on the Mekong River regions with five countries of the ASEAN amid concerns for further transportation integration, according to local news report.
The plan, announced at the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) Ministers Meeting, was endorsed by China, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Thailand and Vietnam.

A number of four proposals are considered in the construction scheme with a route linking Bangkok, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam with China the most feasible solution, the report quoted British Broadcast Company (BBC) as saying.

A total of $1.9 billion dollars are estimated to cover the overall costs of the construction scheme with additional $7 billion dollars for upgrading existing railways. The railway system is said to start its maiden voyage in 2025 with a capacity of roughly 3.2 million passengers and 23 million tons of goods.