Three mass transit mega projects, launched by the Transport Ministry under the Prayut administration, are now encountering problems which will have to be resolved by the new government, according to informed sources in the Transport Ministry.
The first is the western Orange Line route, between Bang Khun Non and the Thailand Cultural Centre. The Bangkok Express Metro company (BEM) won the Metropolitan Rapid Transit (MRT) bid, but signing of the contract has been delayed after a competing bidder filed a lawsuit with the Central Administrative Court relating to changes in the terms of reference (TOR).
The problem is that this is part of the Orange Line project, which includes the eastern route between the Thailand Cultural Centre and Min Buri and for which the civil work is 100% complete, train services cannot begin due to the court proceedings involving the western route.
The second project is the Green Line BTS sky train. The problem here concerns a debt of about 50 billion baht, owed to BTS by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) for operating two extension routes, from Mor Chit to Khu Khot in Pathum Thani and from Bearing to Keha in Samut Prakan. The BMA also owes about 70 billion baht to MRT for the investment in the construction of infrastructure for the extensions.
BTS has been operating the two extensions without charging commuters for years, because the fare is not yet settled and an unresolved question over who has the right to manage the extension routes, the BMA or BTS.
The third is the high-speed train project, linking Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi and U-Tapao airports. The project has been delayed for about two years and State Railways of Thailand (SRT) are still unable to let the winning bidder commence construction, because the company is waiting for promotional privileges from the Board of Investment.
There is also the problem of route overlap, between this project and the Thai-Chinese high-speed project, on the section between Bang Sue and Don Mueang, which is yet to be settled.
A fourth project, the second stage of the dual track train routes of the SRT, worth an estimated 270 billion baht, is also awaiting approval from the government under Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.
