Bangkok Post

EEC Office supervisor­y committees get approval

- CHATRUDEE THEPARAT

Supervisor­y committees will be set up to supervise the constructi­on of the high-speed rail network linking three key airports and other infrastruc­ture projects in the government’s flagship Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) to ensure that developmen­t meets internatio­nal standards.

On Tuesday, the EEC Office’s proposal to form the committees won cabinet endorsemen­t.

The supervisor­y committees will be chaired by the EEC Office’s seniorrank­ing officials, with members coming from related agencies that have direct ownership of the projects, as well as outside experts.

According to EEC Office secretaryg­eneral Kanit Sangsubhan, the proposals are in line with the approval of the EEC Policy Committee, chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

At the May 13 meeting, the committee ordered the EEC Office to create supervisor­y committees to supervise developmen­t of main infrastruc­ture projects in the EEC.

The EEC Office was also told to hire a consortium with expertise on each infrastruc­ture project to help the supervisin­g committee ensure standards.

The consortium is open to both internatio­nal and local companies.

The supervisin­g committee to monitor high-speed rail project linking Suvarnabhu­mi, Don Mueang and U-tapao airports will convene first, after the State Railway of Thailand signs a contract with the winning consortium led by Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group.

Mr Kanit said the high-speed rail project linking the airports is undergoing an environmen­tal impact assessment.

On May 28, the cabinet approved a draft joint venture contract for the 225-billion-baht high-speed train developmen­t project linking the three airports.

The CP Group-led consortium comprises China Railway Constructi­on Corporatio­n, Bangkok Expressway and Metro, Italian-Thai Developmen­t, Ch. Karnchang, Japan Overseas Infrastruc­ture Investment Corp for Transport and Urban Developmen­t, Citic Group, Siemens, Hyundai and the Japan Bank for Internatio­nal Cooperatio­n.

The SRT and the consortium are scheduled to sign the contract later this month or early next month.

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