The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRT) will spend the rest of the month assessing the qualifications of five consortia that are bidding to operate the Green Line subway.
Sajjapong Sanunseang, MRT deputy governor for operations, said their technical proposals will be examined next month. Envelopes containing financial details of bids for the project will then be opened in December.
The Green Line — Mochit-Saphan Mai-Kukot — covers a distance of 18.4km and requires an infrastructure investment of 26 billion baht. The project is divided into four contracts and all are open to bids.
The MRT expects price negotiations to take place after the finance envelopes are opened. An agreed price will then be submitted to the MRT board and the Ministry of Transport, before being put forward for cabinet approval.
A contract between the MRT and the winning bidder is expected to be signed in June 2015, with construction due to be completed three to four years after that.