Terms of reference for smart cities and the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility's second phase at U-tapao airport are scheduled to be issued within two months.
According to Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) Office has been ordered to speed up setting the terms of reference for the two projects and issue them over the next two months.
The MRO facilities are part of five megaprojects under the government's infrastructure development in the flagship EEC.
The five projects, worth 695 billion baht in total, are the high-speed railway linking three key airports (225 billion baht); U-tapao aviation city (290 billion baht); the MRO centre (10.6 billion baht); the third phase of Laem Chabang seaport (114 billion baht); and the third phase of Map Ta Phut seaport (55.4 billion baht).
The EEC is expected to complete all these works by 2021 and create a hub of technology, manufacturing and service connected to Southeast Asia by land, sea and air.
Mr Somkid said the government aims to kick off smart cities and the MRO facilities as soon as possible.
Kanit Sangsubhan, secretary-general of the EEC Office, said the feasibility study of smart cities is expected to be completed soon, but he declined to elaborate on details such as the scale and location of the smart cities.
The location of the smart cities will be based on the EEC's town plan, effective since last Dec 9.
Mr Kanit said the EEC Office has reserved 500 rai near U-tapao airport for MRO facilities.
He said 200 rai will be reserved for the joint venture between Thai Airways International Plc (THAI) and Airbus, and 300 rai will be set aside for other investors.
According to Mr Kanit, the committee overseeing the project at U-tapao airport is due to meet on Jan 30 to finalise the winning bidder for the 290-billion-baht Airport City project.