Bidding is set to open for five double-track rail route construction projects worth more than 100 billion baht next month, the Transport Ministry says.
Peerapol Thawornsuphacharoen, deputy permanent secretary for transport, said the State Railway of Thailand is now gathering feedback on the draft bidding terms for the double-track rail projects worth 101.5 billion baht.
Bidding will be called for all five projects between Dec 13-20, and then bidders will be allowed to submit their proposals between January-February. Contracts will be signed on March 21, next year, Mr Peerapol said.
The five double-track rail projects, which were approved by the cabinet earlier, cover a total of 702 kilometres.
They comprise the 167km Prachuap Khiri Khan-Chumphon route worth 17.2 billion baht; the 132km Map Kabao-Thanon Chira Junction line valued at 29.4 billion baht; the 148km Lop Buri-Pak Nam Pho route estimated at 24.7 billion baht; the 165km Nakhon Pathom-Hua Hin route worth 20 billion baht; and the 90km Hua Hin-Prachuap Khiri Khan line valued at 10.2 billion baht.
Mr Peerapol also said the Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) is ready to open bidding for three more projects for the second phase of the Suvarnabhumi airport development aimed at boosting the airport's capacity to handle increasing passenger numbers and flights.
The first project, worth 4.9 billion baht, covers the expansion of the eastern side of the original passenger terminal, the car park building and the airline office building.
The median price for this project is expected to be finalised by the end of this month and bidding is expected to take place by the end of this year. Construction is expected to start in February next year, Mr Peerapol said.
The second project, worth 6.6 billion baht, involves buying and installing baggage conveyor belt systems and metal detectors. Bidding is expected to take place in March next year.
The third construction project, valued at 19 billion baht, includes the four-storey midfield satellite building and facilities, and an aerobridge link to the airport's southern part. Bidding is expected to be called next year. The construction of this project is scheduled to start in November next year, Mr Peerapol said.
He also said that nine bidders have handed in tenders for the project to install an Automatic People Mover (APM) worth three billion baht at the airport.
The winning bidder is expected to be announced on Dec 20 and the contract should be signed late next month or in early January. The APM would help transportation within Suvarnabhumi as it would carry passengers between the old and new terminals.
Meanwhile, the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) is expected to complete consideration of technical proposals for the eastern section of the Orange Line linking the Thailand Cultural Centre to Bangkok's Min Buri district next month.
MRTA deputy governor Pakapong Sirikantaramas said a committee in charge of the bidding process for the 23km route has deliberated the qualifications of the bidders and moved on to consider their technical proposals.