SRT seeks one-year Airport Rail Link deal with CP ahead of September 7 talks
Asia Era One is due to submit its Airport Rail Link operating plan by September 4 before talks and an SRT board review ahead of the current deal’s expiry
- Siripong disclosed the outcome of talks with CP after the company exercised its right to terminate the public-private partnership for the three-airport high-speed rail project. The Airport Rail Link operating agreement is also due to expire on September 30.
- The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) proposed hiring CP to continue operating the Airport Rail Link for another year. The company has not accepted the proposal and will prepare a cost assessment before further talks on September 7.
- The SRT is pursuing payment of the Airport Rail Link operating-rights fee under the contract, with the next instalment due in September. For the overlapping construction section, the SRT confirmed that it would take back the work and proceed with construction itself.
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is awaiting an operating proposal from CP Group-linked Asia Era One Co Ltd after the company stopped short of accepting a request to continue running the Airport Rail Link for another year.
Asia Era One is due to submit its plan by September 4, ahead of further negotiations on September 7.
The proposal is expected to reach the SRT board for consideration by September 10.
Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat said the timetable followed talks on August 27 involving the SRT, Asia Era One and the Eastern Economic Corridor Office (EECO).
The SRT and Asia Era One are partners in the public-private partnership (PPP) for the high-speed railway connecting Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi and U-Tapao airports. The existing memorandum of understanding covering Airport Rail Link operations expires at the end of September.
Company has yet to accept one-year proposal
The SRT asked Asia Era One to continue operating the Airport Rail Link for one year after the current arrangement expires on September 30.
The company has not accepted the proposal but agreed to prepare an operating plan and management terms for the period after the memorandum of understanding ends.
The latest negotiations followed uncertainty over whether Asia Era One would continue operating the Airport Rail Link after September 30.
Officials will consider the company’s submission on September 4 before the two sides meet again three days later. The SRT intends to present the outcome to its board by September 10.
Interest instalment due on September 18
The SRT has also instructed Asia Era One to pay the Airport Rail Link rights fee, interest and other expenses required under the PPP agreement.
Siripong said the company’s next interest instalment was due on September 18 and asked the private partner to make the payment by the contractual deadline.
SRT may take over overlapping rail work
The August 27 talks did not cover a proposed reduction in the private partner’s work under Contract 4-1 for the Bang Sue–Don Mueang section.
The section overlaps with the Thai–Chinese high-speed railway and the Bang Sue–Phaya Thai missing-link project. Asia Era One said it had no objection to the SRT proceeding with the work.
Siripong said the SRT could ask the company to hand over the detailed design it had already prepared for trains operating at 250 kilometres per hour.
Asia Era One must also confirm in writing that it does not have a detailed design for a maximum speed of 160 kilometres per hour.
Siripong said the structural specifications for the two speeds were different, although previous governments had adopted a policy limiting the line to 160 kilometres per hour.
Once the SRT receives the existing 250km/h design and written confirmation concerning the 160km/h version, it can proceed with the overlapping section.
