The government should heed lawmakers' suggestions before deciding whether to grant Bangkok Expressway and Metro Plc (BEM) the right to operate three expressways for 30 more years, says Rawee Maschamadol, an MP from the New Palangdharma Party.
The Expressway Authority of Thailand (Exat) board has approved the move, which is now being considered by the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG).
It will later be sent to the cabinet for approval.
Exat wants the go-ahead for the plan to clear all lawsuits the agency faces with BEM, including the one in which the Supreme Administrative Court in September last year ordered Exat to pay 4.3 billion baht in compensation to BEM for contractual breaches. Damages from all lawsuits between Exat and BEM are estimated at 130 billion baht in total.
Mr Rawee and other MPs last week put forward a motion to the House of Representatives, seeking its approval to set up a committee to deliberate the move.
He said said a motion on setting up the committee is likely to be considered by the Lower House by next week.
"There must be a halt in making the decision [by the government] when the issue is placed before the committee," Mr Rawee said.
Referring to the court's 4.3-billion-baht compensation ruling, Mr Rawee said the government will be asked to negotiate with BEM about the matter, during which Exat would have to place 4.3 billion baht with the court to stop interest rates mounting, which amount to about 300,000 baht a day.
The BEM-held concession on the Si Rat Expressway Zone A, B and C is set to expire in March next year.
Meanwhile, contracts for the Si Rat Expressway Zone D and Udon Ratthaya Expressway are set to expire in April 2027 and September 2026, respectively.
The contracts would be extended for 30 years if they are green-lighted by the government.