SRT expects progress on rail contracts

Unesco awaits HIA report on Ayutthaya

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) expects the last two construction contracts of the Thai-Chinese high-speed train first-phase project to be signed and implemented soon, according to Deputy Transport Minister Surapong Piyachote.

The 179.41 billion baht firstphase project connects Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima, stretching 250.77 kilometres. At present only two out of a total of 14 contracts have not yet been signed. The first one is contract No 4-5 and the other is contract No 4-1.

Contract No 4-5 covers the 13.30km Ban Pho–Phra Kaeo section in Ayutthaya with a budget of 9.91 billion baht. Mr Surapong said this contract will be signed later after a heritage impact assessment (HIA) report on Ayutthaya station is completed.

The Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning has written to Unesco saying the HIA report will be sent this month, Mr Surapong said. He added the report will likely be approved as Unesco had monitored the SRT during the HIA process.

“There shouldn’t be a problem because the HIA, the first of its kind in Thailand, was conducted [voluntarily] even though the work doesn’t pass through any part of Ayutthaya’s World Heritage site,” he said.

The other contract, No 4-1, concerns the building of a 15.21km section between Bang Sue and Don Muang in Bangkok.

The initial design is to be shared with the high-speed railway project linking three airports — Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi and U-Tapao.

Work has not yet started as Asia Era One Company of the CP Group-led consortium — the concessionaire — must receive an investment promotion certificate from the Boad of Investment (BoI) first. That matter is expected to be resolved by May 22.

If the BoI does not approve the investment promotion, the government must find a solution. This might mean the SRT will invest solely in this section to ensure the continuity of the high-speed train project’s construction, scheduled to be completed in 2028. A decision by the SRT is expected next month, Mr Surapong said.