The military regime's infrastructure development plan worth 2.4 trillion baht is expected to give a push to new business registrations, particularly for construction.
Pongpun Gearaviriyapun, director-general of the Business Development Department, said the number of new registrations is expected to top 65,000 this year, with at least 7,000 expected for construction to cash in on the junta's economic stimulus and massive infrastructure development.
According to the department's latest report, 35,058 juristic persons sought registration in the first seven months of 2014, down 18% from the same period last year. Their total registered capital fell by 46% to 135.83 billion baht.
The drop was attributed mainly to the department's tighter controls on new registrations for lottery business.
Last year, the number of new registrations reached 67,302 with a combined registered capital of 379 billion baht.
The National Council for Peace and Order last month approved an eight-year infrastructure scheme through 2022 that features the construction of two high-speed train routes and six dual-track routes as urgent projects starting this year.
The two high-speed rail routes, estimated to cost 741 billion baht, will link Thailand and southern China.
The Nong Khai-Map Ta Phut route will cover 737 kilometres and cost 393 billion baht, while the Chiang Khong-Ban Phachi route will be 655 km and cost 349 billion.
Construction of the routes should be completed by 2021.
The Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning has been tasked with conducting a feasibility study for the development of three additional dual-track rail routes using a 1.435-metre standard gauge at a top speed of 160 km/h.
The new routes are Ayutthaya (Ban Phachi)-Padang Besar, Nong Khai-Ubon Ratchathani and Tak (Mae Sot)-Phitsanulok-Khon Kaen (Ban Phai).
By 2020, there will be six dual-track projects covering 887 km — Nakhon Ratchasima-Khon Kaen, Prachuap Khiri Khan-Chumphon, Nakhon Pathom-Hua Hin, Saraburi-Nakhon Ratchasima, Lop Buri-Nakhon Sawan, and Hua Hin-Muang district in Prachuap Khiri Khan.