Cabinet nod for high-speed rail draft

A budget of Bt66.85 billion for the State Railway of Thailand (SRT)’s new double-track 355-kilometre Ban Phai-Nakhon Phanom line was also approved at its meeting yesterday.
Nattaporn Jatusripitak, spokesman for the deputy prime minister in charge of economic affairs, said that the SRT, as project owner, would now sign a contract with the winner CPH – a consortium of Charoen Pokphand Holding Co Ltd and its allies – for the high-speed rail project. It will connect the country’s three main airports – Don Mueang in Bangkok, Suvarnabhumi in Samut Prakan and U-tapao in Rayong, which is one of three provinces that is a part of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).
The SRT will pay Bt149 billion to the consortium within 10 years or about Bt14.9 billion per year as agreed. The joint investment contract will last 50 years and, thereafter, the rights will be transferred to the state.
The government is expected to reap over Bt300 billion.
At the same meeting yesterday, the Cabinet approved a budget of Bt66.85 billion for the SRT’s new double-track rail – the 355-kilometre Ban Phai-Nakhon Phanom line. Electronic bids will be invited for the railway line.
Initially, the SRT expected to expropriate more than 7,100 plots of land for the double-track rail development, Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said after the Cabinet meeting yesterday.
A contractor will be found for construction of the double-track rail project by 2020 and construction must commence immediately, to be completed in about four years. Service is expected to commence in 2024 or no later than early 2025.
The double-track railway will run through six provinces – Khon Kaen, Maha Sarakham, Roi Et, Yasothon, Mukdahan and Nakhon Phanom.
Along the route, 30 new stations, one junction, three container depots and three container yards will be constructed.
The railway will also be connected to the EEC areas.
Meanwhile, Sawit Kaewvarn, secretary-general of the State Enterprise Workers Relation Confederation, yesterday led representatives from about 45 groups including the State Railway Workers’ Union of Thailand and over 100 affected villagers in the EEC areas to submit a letter to the prime minister. The letter was received by Sompas Nilphan, director of the PM’s Office’s Public Service Office.
The confederation has asked the government to implement the EEC projects and high-speed rail project with transparency and to allow people’s participation in decision-making.
Given concerns over their possible impacts, extending from agriculture, commerce, manufacturing, nature and the environment, to people in the EEC areas, the confederation has proposed four key points for consideration in approving projects for the EEC, Sawit said.
While the project must not have a negative impact on the lives of people in the project area with regard to relief measures for possible damage, the government must proceed with the projects with transparency rather than focusing on benefiting investors who execute the project.
Contracts, especially that of the high-speed rail project, must be publicly disclosed. And the EEC projects and the high-speed rail project must be opened for public hearings before execution due to their large scale, he added.