The government is gathering input from various agencies to determine if regulations involving public-private partnership (PPP) investments need to be revised after some infrastructure projects failed to draw foreign investors.
Peraphon Thawornsupacharoen, deputy permanent secretary for transport, said a committee tasked with promoting investments and infrastructure development is concerned about projects attracting few foreign investments.
Officials were forced to seek a review after only two Thai consortia took part in the recent bidding for the 34.5-kilometre Pink Line and the 30.4km Yellow Line, he said.
The panel has started collecting information from the Transport Ministry, which has several projects lined up for PPP investments. It will then discuss the issue with the Council of State and the Office of the Attorney General.
He said after the committee has all of the information it needs it will determine if any regulations or laws need to be amended to attract more foreign investors.
The new regulations, if any, will not affect current PPP projects.
Mr Peraphon said the State Enterprise Policy Office (Sepo) has hired Germany-based Roland Berger to conduct a study into the PPP model.
The consultant is to focus on the structure of the Private Investment in State Undertakings Act of 2013, previous investment projects where private firms absorbed investment risks and contracts involving 66 PPP projects.
He said the report is expected to evaluate strengths and weaknesses of the minimum revenue guarantee as an instrument to attract private investors as Thai laws do not allow the guarantee. The Transport Ministry will submit a list of seven projects for fast-tracking to the Public-Private Partnership Committee next week.
The State Railway of Thailand will also propose two high-speed rail projects costing an estimated 263.8 billion baht for fast-tracking, said governor Wutthichart Kalayanamitr.
The two routes are Bangkok-Rayong and Bangkok-Hua Hin, which have attracted initial interest from foreign and domestic investors.
Peerayuth Singpattanakul, governor of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand, said the agency will propose three projects worth 326.8 billion baht for PPP investment.
The three projects are Orange Line's eastern section (Thailand Cultural Centre-Min Buri) costing 110 billion baht; the Orange Line's western section (Thailand Cultural Centre-Taling Chan) at 85.3 billion baht; and the Purple Line route between Kanchanaphisek Outer Ring Road and Tao Pun worth 131 billion baht.
The Highway Department is reportedly proposing a highway project linking Nakhon Pathom and Cha-am in Phetchaburi costing 80 billion baht.