the government of prime minister sheikh ashinha has come under increasing international and domestic pressure to end the series of gruesome killings by suspected jihadists. >>> china's ambitious plan to build a train network across southeast asia looks like it might be going off the rails. work on a major section through thailand has stalled amid squabbles over costs. once an enthusiastic partner, thailand has now begun scaling back the project as nhk world reports. >> reporter: thailand and china's agreement last december to cooperate on a railway across the southeast asian country was supposed to be a win/win. >> translator: the project will not only help the local economy but will also increase national competitiveness. >> translator: deepening our bilateral relationship brings benefits to the economy as well as security. >> reporter: the 870-kilometer railroad would connect nankai in northeast thailand with bangkok and rayong, a major industrial zone. the railroad would use chinese rolling stock and operating systems. construction was supposed to start in may. but negotiations st