A decision over the proposed extension to the skytrain's Green Line to Samut Prakan hinges on whether City Hall agrees to pay for its construction.
The Transport Ministry is expected to grant the management of the 13km rail line extension from Soi Bearing to Samut Prakan to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.
Once the concession is granted, Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc, the operator of the skytrain, expects to take over management, said Surapong Laoha-unya, BTS Company director of operations.
A decision should be known next month, he said.
Transport Minister Prajin Juntong confirmed on Friday that he had assigned Yodyuth Boonyatikarn, chairman of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority, and Ronnachit Yaemsaard, the acting MRTA governor, to negotiate with the BMA about a construction proposal in exchange for the right to manage the route.
Since the BMA already operates the Green Line electric rail route, as well as the Mo Chit-On Nut and National Stadium-Saphan Taksin lines, it was reasonable to allow it to manage the Green Line extension to maintain system unity, ACM Prajin said.
BTSC executives have held talks with ACM Prajin about the possibility of the ministry granting the management of the Green Line extension to the BMA.
The BTSC executives confirmed that the company was ready to take up the responsibility of operating the extension and only has to wait for the results of pending talks between the ministry and the BMA, ACM Prajin said.
Mr Surapong said the BTSC was ready to begin operating services on the extension within one year.
It had already begun preparing for the possibility that it will receive the concession, he said.
If the BMA is required to finance the costs of the construction, it might either seek loans or raise funds through a bond issue.
"I’ve had a chance to attend negotiations with the ministry and the BMA two times recently and the negotiations went well," Mr Surapong said.
He said the company was looking forward to the Mass Rapid Transit Authority, which operates under the ministry, altering a board resolution over management of the Green Line extension to allow the BMA to step in and become more involved.
Gen Yodyuth said no conclusions have been reached yet on management pending the ministry’s negotiations with BTSC.
The Green Line is also being extended in the opposite direction with a 18.4km section between Mo Chit and Khu Khot. ACM Prajin said the government would wait until the construction of that extension was complete before beginning discussions on issues concerning concessions and management.