The Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT) says 18 local and foreign companies bought envelopes for the auction of Map Ta Phut port's third phase, a project worth 55.4 billion baht.
On Wednesday, the IEAT closed the sale of envelopes containing terms of reference. Ten of the bidders are Thai companies: Gulf Energy Development Plc, PTT Global Chemical, PTT Tank Terminal Co, Thai Tank Terminal Ltd, Electricity Generating Plc, Sinohydro Corporation Co, Sahakarn Wisavakorn Co, Italian-Thai Development Corporation Plc, Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding Plc and Unique Engineering and Construction Plc.
Of the foreign companies, four are from China, two are from Japan, one is from Sweden and the other is Dutch. The eight are China Harbour Engineering Co, China Railway Construction Corporation Ltd, CHEC Thai Co, China Communication Construction Co, Tokyo Gas Co, Mitsui & Co, Boskalis International and Vopak LNG Holding.
IEAT governor Somchint Pilouk said the 18 firms are mainly petrochemical makers, power producers and construction providers.
After buying an envelope, each bidder must join a meeting detailing the auction conditions, then visit the site in Rayong province on Nov 28.
Bidders must submit their proposal papers to the IEAT by December. The winning bidder will be announced in February.
"The IEAT expects to sign a contract with the winning company after the announcement, and the seaport's third phase is expected to begin operations in 2025," Ms Somchint said.
The third phase occupies 1,000 rai and is one of five megaprojects under the government's Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) scheme spanning the provinces of Chachoengsao, Chon Buri and Rayong.
Map Ta Phut port has 32 wharves with 12 operators. The port has had a compound annual growth rate for transferred goods of 5.3% over the past decade.
In a related development, the Commerce Ministry said new business registrations in EEC provinces totalled 6,095 firms from January to October, up 8.2%, with combined registered capital of 16.4 billion baht, up 7.8%.
The ministry expects registrations to rise by 10% for the whole of 2018.
Property-related companies were 1,054 of the total, representing 17.3%, with combined registered capital of 3.72 billion baht.
Companies with a 49.99% stake or less held by overseas shareholders accounted for 37.7% of registrations in EEC provinces in the first 10 months. Japanese companies made up 52.1%.