7 big projects in the pipeline for new year

7 big projects in the pipeline for new year

Contracts for five to be signed by May

The Department of Highways has seven key projects worth more than 124 billion baht in the pipeline for 2020, department chief Sarawut Songsivilai said on Wednesday.

Of them, the design work for five projects is complete with median prices being calculated for bidding, Mr Sarawut said, adding the contracts should be signed in May.

The first project is the fifth Thai-Lao friendship bridge connecting Bung Kan province in Thailand and Bolikhamsai province in Laos. The bridge will be 16 kilometres long and cost 3.9 billion baht, with 2.6 billion to be paid by Thailand, Mr Sarawut said.

Next is a project to build a 16-km eastern bypass for Nong Khai, worth 3 billion baht, to ease traffic congestion and link it to Laos, while a project to build a 3-billion-baht 22km highway linking the Eastern Economic Corridor and U-Tapao airport is also being considered, he said.

Another project is to build a 24km outer ring road for Nakhon Ratchasima, worth 3.06 billion baht, he said, while the fifth project is a 26km four-lane road linking Phangnga and Surat Thani's Ban Ta Khun district, worth 1.6 billion baht, to support logistics and transport.

Cabinet approval will also be sought for two projects to be carried out under the public-private partnership model.

One is an 25km motorway, worth 32.2 billion baht, linking Bang Khunthian district of Bangkok and Samut Sakhon's Ban Phaeo district, Mr Sarawut said.

The other is a 109km motorway worth 79 billion baht linking Nakhon Pathom and Phetchaburi's Cha-am district.

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