Water-project bidders to be considered

All four groups of firms that entered and passed the technical round are on the list. Three days of price negotiations have not changed the chances of who will win each of the nine modules following the announcement of technical-review results on Monday. 

Chaired by Prime Minister’s Office permanent secretary Tongthong Chandran-su, the selection panel concluded the list of successful bidders yesterday and has already forwarded it to the WFMC for a final decision.

“My panel has completed the assignment. Now, it’s up to the WFMC to decide what to do next,” he said.

Earlier this week, the selection panel announced which firm was the top scorer for each module in the technical round. Price negotiations with each of them followed. Tongthong yesterday confirmed that the four groups agreed to lower their bid price, but refused to disclose the exact figures.

According to the information released on Monday, the biggest pieces of the cake look set to go to Korea Water Resources Corp (K-Water). It is poised to claim two modules to build a flood-diversion channel and water-retention areas in the Chao Phraya River basin worth Bt163 billion. ITDPower China Joint Venture, meanwhile, has pocketed modules worth Bt110 billion. Loxley Joint Venture has won one module, A6/B4, worth Bt4 billion, while Summit SUT has won the B2 module, worth Bt14 billion.

Tongthong said the WFMC, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi, could agree or disagree with his panel’s recommendations.

“If it agrees, it will be able to submit the issue to the Cabinet on [Tuesday],” he said. 

Tongthong said even if the Cabinet approved the choice of bidders, contract signing would not immediately follow.

“It will take a few more months to draft contracts,” he said.