SRT opens airport link bid envelopes

BSR, CP Group vie for high-speed rail tender

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is expected to announce the winning bidder for the construction of a high-speed railway project connecting three major airports next month.

SRT acting governor Worawut Mala said his agency yesterday opened the bid envelopes for the project to link Don Mueang airport in Bangkok, Suvarnabhumi airport in Samut Prakan and U-Tapao airport in Rayong.

The bid amounts will be made public on Friday after a thorough examination of relevant documents submitted by bidders, the deputy governor said.

After that, the bidder offering the lowest price will be invited for talks and a contract made and sent to the Office of the Attorney-General for examination. “It is likely that the bid result will be announced in January,” said Mr Worawut.

According to the SRT, only two groups were qualified to contest the contract, based on their technical qualifications.

They are the BSR Joint Venture and a Charoen Pokphand Group (CP)led consortium.

BSR is made up of Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc (BTSC), Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction Plc (STEC) and Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding Plc (RATCH).

BTSC is currently the operator of the Skytrain in Bangkok. Its Phaya Thai station is linked to the 29-kilometre Airport Rail Link which connects the capital with Suvarnabhumi airport.

The other contender consists of CP, Bangkok Expressway and Metro Plc (BEM), China Railway Construction Corporation Ltd (CRCC), Ch Karnchang Plc (CK) and Italian-Thai Development Plc (ITD).

BEM is the operator of a subway connecting Hua Lamphong with Bang Sue in Bangkok. Its Phetchaburi station is also a stop on the Airport Rail Link.

According to an SRT source, a median price of 119 billion baht was set for the project and the group proposing the lowest price will win.

The 220-km-long high-speed railway network is scheduled to open in 2024. Its trains are expected to be able to reach up to 250 kilometres per hour. The project was fast-tracked as part of plans to develop the Eastern Economic Corridor.

‘‘ It is likely that the bid result will be announced in January.

WORAWUT MALA SRT ACTING GOVERNOR