BTS Group Holdings Plc on Tuesday asked Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to intervene in its legal dispute with Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) over the opening of new bidding for the western section of the MRT Orange Line.
BTS Group Holdings is the majority shareholder in Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc (BTSC), the operator of the BTS Skytrain and the Bangkok BRT.
It was one of the two contenders participating in the first round of bidding for the project, which was eventually cancelled by the MRTA on Feb 3.
In a letter signed by BTS chairman Keeree Kanjanapas, dated March 8, the company asked Gen Prayut to order the suspension of the new bidding initiated by MRTA, and launch an investigation into the implementation of the project.
In the same letter, BTS said it had petitioned the Central Administrative Court on Sept 17 last year, asking for an injunction after the MRTA altered the project's bidding criteria after it had sold envelopes with the original bidding terms to several parties.
The court subsequently granted a temporary injunction as requested by BTS, but MRTA then cancelled the first round of bidding on Feb 3, BTS said.
BTS stated the MRTA's decision to abruptly terminate the bidding while the Central Administrative Court was still processing the company's petition was unlawful. This forced the group to file with the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct cases on Feb 22, accusing the MRTA of dereliction of duty. Despite this, the MRTA has invited prospective bidders to submit opinions on a new round of bidding.