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STATE mega- projects are expected to drive economic growth by 0.3-0.5 percentage point this year in additional to the previous growth forecast of 3 per cent.
“The infrastructure projects are not just projects, but also the country’s new growth driver,” Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said yesterday at a seminar held by NOW26, the digital variety TV channel under Nation Multimedia Group.
He said 11 of the 20 planned mega-projects were under the bidding process. Worth Bt460 billion in total, they cover construction of motorways, railway double-tracking, urban rail, deep seaports, and the second phase of Suvarnabhumi Airport’s expansion.
The investment value of the infrastructure projects under the Transport Ministry's action plan for 2015, which was earlier projected at Bt1.79 trillion, has been reduced to about Bt1.4 trillion, but this is based on the same quality and number of projects, Arkhom said.
 Moreover, Arkhom said that for next year, the government was preparing to continue this year’s projects such as dual-track railways into their second and third phases. That investment should boost GDP growth next year to 3.5-4 per cent.
He said the infrastructure projects would add more value to the economy. The railway network should boost border trade, while the airport improvement should increase tourism’s contribution to the economy.
Arkhom said 28 provincial airports would be repaired, upgraded or otherwise improved to facilitate the tourism industry.
“Now is the right time for the government to increase its investment budget,” he said.