The board of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) will conduct bidding for contracts to build the Green Line electric rail route next year.
The 19km route from Mor Chit to Saphan Mai and Ku Kot would be built at a cost of 26.5 billion baht, MRTA chairwoman Ratchanee Treepipatkul said yesterday.
The MRTA board reached its decision on the bidding at a meeting on Thursday, she said.
The construction of the rail line will be spread over four contracts.
The first contract is for the construction of the first section of the Green Line, from Mor Chit to Saphan Mai. The second is for the next section of the route, from Saphan Mai to Ku Kot.
This section, which has the highest price tag of the four contracts, is valued at 16.4 billion baht.
The third contract is for the line's maintenance and repair centre and its train parking building.
The final contract is for the electric rail track system.
The MRTA's board has also agreed to stick to its initial decision to construct the Pink Line from the Kae Rai area via the central government complex on Chaeng Watthana Road to Min Buri.
This means the cost of constructing the 34.5km line would be capped at 58.6 billion baht, Ms Ratchanee said.
She said there had been an alternative proposal that the line run further to Muang Thong Thani along Suwinthawong Road without passing Min Buri market.
The board did not agree with this, she said, regarding the original plan as the best option.
However, the board has ordered a feasibility study for a shuttle bus service to bring commuters to the Pink Line's stations from nearby areas, Ms Ratchanee added.