U-tapao MRO delayed as Airbus misses deadline

‘‘ The national carrier is expected to wait until April for Airbus’s proposals. KANIT SANGSUBHAN Secretary-general, Eastern Economic Corridor Office

The bidding process for the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility at Rayong’s U-tapao airport is likely to be postponed until April because Airbus failed to submit proposals for the formation of a joint venture with Thai Airways International (THAI) as scheduled on March 6.

Kanit Sangsubhan, secretary-general of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) Office, said the office is scheduled to inform the EEC Policy Committee chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chano-cha about the delay in the bidding process for the MRO, which is one of five infrastructure development projects in the government’s flagship EEC.

He said both THAI and Airbus have been acutely affected by the coronavirus pandemic, which has crippled the aviation business worldwide.

The national carrier is expected to wait until April for Airbus’s proposals, said Mr Kanit.

Airbus and THAI signed an agreement to jointly invest in the project in June last year.

The two organisations have long discussed details under the 11-billionbaht joint venture.

Four other development projects in the EEC, worth 684 billion baht in total, are a high-speed railway linking three key airports (225 billion baht); U-tapao aviation city (290 billion); the third phase of Laem Chabang seaport (114 billion); and the third phase of Map Ta Phut seaport (55.4 billion).

THAI is scheduled to open general bidding for potential investors if Airbus fails to submit an investment plan by April 20.

Mr Kanit said the pandemic will not affect the EEC’s development plans because investors make long-term decisions when investing. The agency had to cancel all programmes to promote investment abroad.

Total investment applications submitted to the Board of Investment in 2019 stood at 756 billion baht, with projects increasing to 1,624.

This was 16.2% lower than 2018 applications, which were worth 902 billion baht.

Of the total applications, 59% were for investments in EEC, in total worth 445 billion baht.