PASSAGE FOR FIVE TRANSPORT PROJECTS

Under the policy, bidding and procurement will be completed in nine months instead of one year and 10 months, so the construction of the five projects could all begin next year. 

Ekniti Nitithanprapas, director-general of the State Enterprise Policy Office, said yesterday that the three mass transit projects are the Pink elevated line from Khae Rai-Min Buri for Bt56.72 billion, Yellow elevated line from Lat Phrao-Samrong for Bt54.77 billion and the extensions to the Blue line from Hua Lamphong-Bang Khae and Bang Sue- Tha Phra worth Bt82.49 billion.

The two road projects are the Bt84.6 billion Bang Pa In-Nakhon Ratchasima motorway and Bt55.62 billion Bang Yai-Kanchanaburi motorway. 

Agencies are expected to provide follow-up reports on the fast track development to the PPP Committee by the end of this month and a progress report every month. 

The four projects under the PPP Act of 2013 – the second phase of the waste management project of Nakhon Ratchasima municipality, the Port Authority of Thailand’s Maritime Business Centre, and the Pink and Yellow elevated lines – are expected to be submitted for Cabinet approval by March. 

 

CP ALL PROFIT UP 21% ON NETWORK EXPANSION 

CP All, Thailand's largest convenience store chain, reported a 21-per-cent rise in quarterly profit, the highest growth among Thai retailers, as an increase in store openings helped offset weak domestic consumption.

CP All, run by Thailand's richest man Dhanin Chearavanont, |operates 7-Eleven stores in Thailand.

Same-store sales grew 1.6 per cent, rising for the third consecutive quarter to a two year high. In the previous quarter, sales rose 1.1 per cent and fell 2.6 per cent for the whole of 2014,

Net profit was Bt3.26 billion ($91.01 million) for July-September, the company said on its website, in line with analyst forecast of Bt3.2 billion.

The number of its 7-Eleven stores rose to 8,618 in the third quarter from 7,965 stores a year earlier. Customer numbers per store, however, were 1,230 per day, slightly less than 1,286 in the |previous quarter, the company said.

CP All also booked more revenue from cash-and-carry wholesaler unit Siam Makro Pcl, which posted a 15 per cent rise in quarterly net profit but same-store sales falling 0.7 percent.

Another retailer Big C Supercenter Pcl posted a 5.2 per cent decline in same store sales due to weak consumption.

CP All, which aims to open 600 stores this year, is on track to have 10,000 branches by 2018. 

It competes with Japan's FamilyMart, Lawson Inc's Thai joint venture and Lotus Express, run by Tesco's Thai unit. 

– Reuters