BTS keen for partners join in on key rail project
BTS Group Holdings Plc is open for all its business partners to participate in the construction of a high-speed train link between three international airports if the group wins the bidding for the project, chairman Keeree Kanjanapas said yesterday.
“We are negotiating with Charoen Pokphand Group, which showed its interest in developing the high-speed train project by buying the terms of reference last month, and we also negotiating with PTT Plc and our existing partners in the construction of the Yellow and Pink rail lines, Sino-Thai Engineering & Construction Plc and Ratchaburi Electricity Generation Holding Plc,” said Keeree, referring to the showpiece project of the high-speed line connecting the Suvarnabhumi, Don Muang and U-Tapao airports.
“We also are negotiating with foreign firms that are interested in developing the country’s high-speed train, too. For our business view, we are open to collaborating with all our partners to develop the country’s infrastructure projects.
“If we have the best partners on board, that will help us to strengthen the way we do business.”
However, Keeree said he could not say whether any deals had been concluded with any of these partners, as all the companies that had bought the terms of reference are studying the project now ahead of the submission of bids on November 12.
“If we cannot win the bid for the high-speed train, we may ask the winner about possibilities for doing some work or joining with them for any later projects,” he said.
“Our idea is that can cooperate with all of our partners when suitable projects arise.
“Meanwhile, we will continue to join the bidding for other infrastructure projects that are opened up, especially for rail systems and infrastructure in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).”
Keeree said the company is negotiating with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to expand the rail line at Taksin station to a double-track route on the Silom Line. The BMA has applied for an environmental impact assessment (EIA) to be carried out. If the EIA is approved, the company is willing to undertake the conversion work for a double-track route and this would take about two years to complete. The improvement would reduce delays on services from Taksin station to Bang Wa and Silom.
“The investment budget to expansion rail system at Silom line will over than Bt1 billion. Who will invest for this that will negotiating between us and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration again, that is depending on the condition to do, however, this has to do for reduce traffic in this line,” he said.
The 46 new trains that will delivery to the company in the third quarter of this year and the next year also increase capacity up to 10 per cent from its existing trains that will also increase its capacity to transport the passenger, he said.
