Opposition is intensifying to the Expressway Authority of Thailand (Exat) board's decision to grant Bangkok Expressway and Metro Plc (BEM) the right to operate three expressways for 30 more years in a bid to clear its debts to the company.
In attempts to put the brakes on the proposal expected to be tabled to the cabinet for consideration today, the State Enterprises Workers' Relations Confederation (SEWRC) on Monday submitted a petition to the Transport Ministry demanding it answer questions about the sources of information used to negotiate with BEM.
A petition was also lodged with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha asking him to put the proposal on hold.
Rawee Maschamadol, an MP from the New Palangdharma Party, on Monday had his representative lodge a petition with the Office of the Ombudsman against the move as the MP would on July 4 propose an urgent motion in the House of Representatives calling for a study into the matter.
In its statement, the state enterprise confederation questioned the source of information Exat used in negotiations which resulted in the proposed extension of BEM's concessions to operate the Srirat expressway, Section D of the expressway between Rama IX Road to Srinakarin, and the Bang Pa-in to Pak Kret expressway for 30 years.
Critics of Exat argue that there is no clear evidence that it will benefit from dishing out extended concessions valued at 300 billion baht when compared to the expected 130-billion-baht damages from the lawsuits.
Moreover, only one dispute worth 4.3 billion baht has been finalised by the Supreme Court and the rest have yet to be heard. The dispute in question involves the breach of a non-competition contract by Exat over the Pak Kret-Bang Pa-in expressway, which BEM claimed was opened in direct competition to the BEM-operated Don Muang Tollway linking the National Memorial and Rangsit.
"The State Enterprises Workers' Relations Confederation is supporting Exat's labour union which is fighting to protect state enterprises' and public interests. The Exat management and board should pay heed, and so should the government," said the group.
At the Office of the Ombudsman, Jaturan Boonbenjarat, the spokesman for the New Palangdharma Party, said he was assigned by Mr Rawee to petition the ombudsman to look into the Exat board's controversial decision.
According to Mr Jaturan, the proposed extension of concessions should be put on hold pending a thorough study by the House.