The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) committee has approved two projects worth nearly 19 billion baht to develop and manage goods transport facilities to serve shipping and border trade businesses in Rayong and Chiang Rai provinces.
The meeting, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow, resolved on Friday to have companies invest in the projects under PPP Net Cost, said committee secretary Prapas Kong-ied, also chief of the State Enterprise Policy Office.
The first project, valued around 16 billion baht, concerns port management to facilitate loading and unloading of liquid products for factories in Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate in Rayong.
A private investor will be granted a concession to operate the facilities for 30 years.
The government is not committed to investment or expense, but will allow its business partner the right to use assets of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand.
The second project is the establishment of a goods transport centre, worth 2.8 billion baht, in Chiang Rai's Chiang Khong district, said Mr Prapas.
State authorities will invest in land and infrastructure development while a private investor will pay for transport and office equipment, as well as work on a logistics system.
The joint project is to run 15 years.
He said the new centre will facilitate international trade between Thailand and neighbouring countries, as well as better connect road and rail transport systems.
The PPP committee instructed officials to carefully consider the returns the government will receive from this project when selecting a private investor.
The committee also agreed to approve laws and guidelines under the 2019 Public-Private Partnership Act in terms of criteria to select private investors without calling bids, as well as consideration of development projects worth 1-5 billion baht.
Chanvit Nakburee, a state enterprise development adviser, said officials are preparing to ask the PPP committee to approve some multi-billion-baht projects, according to media reports.
They include an 8.2-billion-baht medical centre proposed by the Public Health Ministry, a monorail project in the business district of Hat Yai in Songkhla, and the Purple Line extension project.
The extension, which connects Tao Poon with Rat Burana in Bangkok, is among public transport upgrades in the media spotlight. The project is expected to open for bidding this year after the cabinet approved a royal decree to expropriate land in May.