Nearly half of the 966 billion baht worth of projects under the fast-track public-private partnership (PPP) scheme are expected to win approval from the PPP committee this year, says the head of the State Enterprise Policy Office (Sepo).
Three projects, worth a combined 406 billion baht, are expected to be given the greenlight, said director-general Ekniti Nitithanprapas after the PPP committee meeting, chaired by Finance Minister Apisak Tantivorawong.
The three projects are the Orange Line's eastern and western sections, worth 195 billion baht; the Purple Line between Kanchanaphisek Outer Ring Road and Tao Poon, valued at 131 billion; and the Nakhon Pathom to Cha-am, Phetchaburi motorway project, worth 80 billion.
Some 12 projects worth 966 billion baht are in the pipeline under the fast-track PPP investment scheme, which is part of the 1.62-trillion strategic PPP plan.
The fast-track PPP projects generally get approved in nine months, compared with two years under the normal PPP process.
The PPP committee last year approved a five-year strategic plan for joint investment projects worth 1.62 trillion baht. That move is intended to accelerate infrastructure investment amid budget constraints and sharpen the country's competitive edge. Under the five-year strategic plan through 2021, 94% of the 1.62-trillion-baht budget will involve transport infrastructure and overall logistic costs are projected to be cut by 2-3 percentage points from 13-14% of GDP once the projects are completed.
The transport projects under the five-year PPP strategic plan will be divided into two groups: projects for which the government wants the private sector to play a role, such as high-speed trains; rail systems in Bangkok and ports for shipping goods; and projects in which the government is encouraging the private sector to invest, such as airports and motorways.
Mr Ekniti said the PPP committee yesterday approved putting Nakhon Ratchasima's mass transit system, worth 32.6 billion baht, under the fast-track PPP scheme.
The committee also agreed to put four investment projects worth 22 billion baht under the PPP scheme, he said.
These projects are a commercial development on a 32-rai land plot from the State Railway of Thailand at Bang Sue station, under a 30-year built-operate-transfer model worth 15.4 billion baht; Chiang Rai's transit transport route worth 2.7 billion; land development of TOT's warehouse in Klong Toey, worth 3.14 billion; and development of land housing the Bangpra Golf Club owned by the Treasury department, worth 1.53 billion.