Three consortiums have submitted their bids to develop U-Tapao airport and the Eastern Airport City Project, a source said on Thursday.
The names of the bidders were revealed when the Royal Thai Navy, which manages Rayong's U-Tapao airport, unsealed the bid envelopes for the project that is valued at about 290 billion baht.
The source said Charoen Pokphand Group (CP) submitted its bid at 12.30pm on Thursday, followed by the BBS consortium -- which comprises Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction Plc (STEC), Bangkok Airways Plc, and BTS Group Holdings Plc. The third bid was submitted by Asia Aviation Plc, which owns Thai AirAsia.
To date, 24 Thai companies and 18 foreign firms have expressed their interest in submitting their bids for the project. The foreign firms that have expressed interest include six companies from China, five from Japan, two from France, two from Germany, and one each from India, Malaysia, and Turkey, the source said.
"The project is aimed at turning Thailand into Asean's aviation hub," he said. "The development of Rayong airport is a part of the five megaprojects planned under the government's Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) scheme."