The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is prepared to push for bidding of megaprojects worth almost 300 billion in the second half of this year including the high-speed railway project linking Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima and the second phase development of the dual-tracks.
SRT acting governor Worawut Mala said the bidding for construction of the high-speed train route is scheduled to proceed in August or September and the work will be divided into 10 contracts worth about 10 billion baht each.
Next is the second phase development of double tracks which will be proposed to the cabinet for consideration.
The project comprises two northeastern routes: a 167km section from Khon Kaen to Nong Khai worth 26 billion baht and a 355km stretch from Ban Phai to Mukdahan to Nakhon Phanom worth 67.9 billion baht.
According to Mr Worawut, the bidding for contracts to build three extensions of the Red Line electric rail system plus two missing links estimated at 63 billion baht are scheduled to go ahead in the third or final quarters of this year.
The extension projects are the 1.02-billion-baht Taling Chan-Salaya section, the 6.57-billion-baht Rangsit-Thammasat extension, and the 6.64-billion-baht Taling Chan-Siriraj stretch.
The two 40-billion-baht missing links are the Light Red Line (Bang Sue-Phaya Thai-Makkasan-Hua Mak) and the Dark Red Line (Bang Sue-Hua Lamphong).
He said the SRT is also in the process of setting up a subsidiary to operate the Red Line (Bang Sue-Rangsit), the main section which is due to begin operating next year.
A source at the SRT said the agency is also expected to submit to a new government for consideration another two high-speed routes -- Bangkok-Chiang Mai estimated at 260 billion baht, and Bangkok-Hua Hin worth 100 billion baht.
In the second half of this year the SRT will also study the second phase of two high-speed rail routes: the 100-billion-baht Nakhon Ratchasima-Nong Khai section and the 300-billion-baht U-tapao-Trat section in the eastern region, the source said.
Meanwhile, the State Enterprise Policy Commission chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has approved a plan for the SRT Electrified Train Co Ltd to operate and carry out maintenance of the Red Line (Bang Sue-Rangsit).
According to the State Enterprise Policy Office, the company which currently operates Airport Rail Link network has the resources and experience in rail management and the new operation will help the firm to further develop and use its resources to full potential.