Bangkok  - Thailand's state railway was expected to sign a 90-million-baht (2.5-million-dollar) deal with Deutsche Bahn International to operate Bangkok's airport rail link to open later this year, media reports said Saturday.

Tawalyarat Onsira, the Transport Ministry's deputy permanent secretary, said the State Railways of Thailand hoped to finalize the deal with the German firm this month, The Nation newspaper reported.

Under the deal, Deutsche Bahn would be required to also provide training for the Thai state railway, which plans to eventually set up a subsidiary to operate the link between Suvarnabhumi International Airport and the capital, which was scheduled for a trial launch on August 12.

The airport rail link has been much delayed. Suvarnabhumi International Airport was opened in September 2006. (dpa)