Two consortia submitted bids for a high-speed railway project linking Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi and U-Tapao airports on the first day of bidding, with more expected to come on board later.
BSR Joint Venture, a consortium led by BTS Group Holdings Plc, was the first group submitted the documents when the State Railway of Thailand started accepting the documents on Monday.
Other partners in BSR include two listed Thai companies -- Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction Plc, a construction firm of which Bhumjaithai party leader Anutin Charnveerakul is a major shareholder, and Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding Plc, 45%-owned by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand.
The other consortium, led by Charoen Pokphand Group, entered the contest in the afternoon. Its business partners include China Railway Construction Corporation Ltd, Bangkok Expressway and Metro Plc, Italian-Thai Development Plc, CH. Karnchang Plc, Japan Overseas Infrastructure Investment Corp for Transport & Urban Development, Citic Group, Siemens, Hyundai, Japan Bank for International Cooperation and Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane SpA.
The 224-billion-baht bullet-train project is an integral part of the Eastern Economic Corridor scheme promoted by the government. It links Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports in Bangkok with U-Tapao in Rayong, which was promoted to be an airline hub serving the scheme and the tourism sector in Pattaya and other eastern provinces.
CP Group vice-chairman Adiruth Thothaveesansuk claimed on Sunday that the CP-led investment group would bring in "world-class knowledge, experience and expertise" to the train project.
BSR Joint Venture also joins a race to win the 224-billion-baht train project linking Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang and U-Tapao airports. (Photo by Pornprom Satrabhaya)
Industry Minister Uttama Savanayana said in May he expected five big bidders to vie for the airport train project.
Seven potential bidders, including PTT Plc and ITD, turned up at the first day of the auction process in June. PTT, which earlier had shown interest in expanding its business from oil to rail, decided in October to back off from the plan while ITD joined the CP-led consortium.