Approaches to High-Speed Train Development in Countries Using Capitalist and Socialist Economic Systems: The Context of High Speed Train Development in Laos

Abstract

The development of high-speed train in most countries has different development goals depend on country's geographical characteristics and issues such as urbanization, traffic, environment, pollution, society etc. Thus, countries with a capitalist economy and countries with a socialist or mixed economy have different development approaches. Laos is a mixed economy country to promote socio-economic development. At the same time, due to its geographical nature, Laos promotes a policy from landlocked to connecting with neighboring countries by developing the Lao-China high-speed train to provide passenger and freight services. However, from the lessons learned of the success of high-speed train development in many countries, it has focused on studying the context of the area around high-speed train stations and the development of the area around high-speed train stations for sustainable development. This kind of development also causes gaps in the society, especially the local communities that have been affected by the country's development. Therefore, sustainable community development is an integrated development that requires the context of the area or the physical readiness of the area, the adaptation of the affected communities, and the principles of developing the area around Vientiane and Vang Vieng high-speed train stations.