Thailand's CP Group, BSR bid for $6.8 billion high-speed rail project

 

FILE PHOTO: Buddhist monks ride a train in the direction of the ancient city of Ayutthaya outside Bangkok, Thailand July 14, 2016. REUTERS/Jorge Silva

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's Charoen Pokphand Group (CP Group) and its allies and BSR Joint Venture submitted bids on Monday for a $6.8 billion high-speed railway project that will link three main airports in the country, the State Railway of Thailand said.

 

The railway project comes at a time when a surge in tourist arrivals - more than half the population - has already strained the Thai infrastructure.

 

In March, the government approved the 225 billion baht ($6.80 billion) rail project that will connect two airports in Bangkok areas - Don Mueang International and Suvarnabhumi International - with U-Tapao, which was built during the Vietnam War in the eastern province of Rayong.

 

CP Group and its business allies that formed a consortium and expected strategic partners include Charoen Pokphand Holding and China Railway Construction Corp Ltd, Adiruth Thothaveesansuk, vice chairman, CP Group's Special Projects Development Office, said in a statement on Sunday.

 

According to the statement, the global consortium also includes China's CITIC Group Corp [CITIC.UL], Germany's Siemens <SIEGn.DE>, South Korea's Hyundai, Bangkok Expressway and Metro Pcl <BEM.BK>, Italian-Thai Development PCL <ITD.BK>, Thailand's CH Karnchang PCL <CH.BK>, Japan Overseas Infrastructure Investment Corp for Transport & Urban Development, China Resources (Holdings) Co Ltd, Italy's Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, China's CRRC-Sifang, and Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).

 

Thai conglomerate CP Group is controlled by billionaire Dhanin Chearavanont.

 

Another bidder, BSR Joint Venture, includes BTS Group Holdings <BTS.BK>, Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction <STEC.BK> and Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding <RATCH.BK>.

 

The project is part of the government's larger transport infrastructure investment action plan covering rail, roads, airports and sea-ports.

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) will take a month to consider the bids and is expected to propose the winner to the cabinet between January 28 and 31, acting governor Worawut Mala said in a statement.

 

Contract signing is expected in the first quarter of 2019, with construction taking five years, a source at the SRT said.

 

(Reporting by Satawasin Staporncharnchai; Writing by Orathai Sriring; Editing by Louise Heavens)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-11-13

Looks like CP will be getting the concession for onboard catering, if their bid is the winner.

Edited November 12, 20187 yr by champers

Two groups hand in bids for rail project

By The Nation

 

 

Charoen Pokphand Group (CP Group) and BTS Group Holdings Plc (BTS) on Monday submitted bids for the Bt220-billion high-speed railway project , designed to connect three major airports in Thailand.

 

The high-speed railway project will link up Don Mueang International Airport, Suvarnabhumi International Airport with U-Tapao Airport in Rayong province.

 

The CP Group-led consortium consists of CP Group holding the majority share of 70 per cent. Other stakeholders are Ch Karnchang Plc, Bangkok Expressway and Metro Plc, China Railway Construction Corp Ltd and Italian-Thai Development Plc. 

 

The BTS-led consortium comprises BTS (60 per cent) with Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction Plc and Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding Plc holding the balance of 40 per cent.

 

Voravuth Mala, acting governor of State Railway of Thailand (SRT), earlier expressed confidence that no less than two private consortiums would bid for the rail project.

 

SRT on Monday opened the bidding for the project, the first infrastructure investment project in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). 

 

The project will be beneficial to other investments in the EEC provinces spanning from Chachoengsao, Chonburi and Rayong. Winner of the project is expected to be announced within one month.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30358426

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-11-13

Love the photo op with a box full of paperwork. Maybe in Thailand 8.0 they will be able to submit the tender in electronic form.

I wonder how much of that box of papers is photocopies of government registration documents and IDs all signed by the titular head of the enterprise. 

2 hours ago, Chang_paarp said:

Love the photo op with a box full of paperwork. Maybe in Thailand 8.0 they will be able to submit the tender in electronic form.

I wonder how much of that box of papers is photocopies of government registration documents and IDs all signed by the titular head of the enterprise. 

My guess is the paperwork in that box consists of rather small pieces of paper, all bearing the picture of the King and the number 1000, nicely bundled together.

A company that can make a good ham & cheese toasted sandwich clearly has the skills and experience to build a high speed train network.

 

Go CP, today a humble sandwich, tomorrow the world!

Edited November 13, 20187 yr by BigBadGeordie
Typo

13 minutes ago, Bob12345 said:

My guess is the paperwork in that box consists of rather small pieces of paper, all bearing the picture of the King and the number 1000, nicely bundled together.

I am not so sure of that as there are no armed guards escorting the cardboard box. it's just a decoy.

I suspect the individually addressed envelopes are in an armoured car parked outside the rear door.

2 minutes ago, BigBadGeordie said:

A company that can make a good ham & cheese toasted sandwich clearly has the skills and experience to build a high speed train network.

 

Go CP, today a humble sandwich, tomorrow the world!

Yes, it's obvious - they know all about fast food, so fast trains are a natural progression.

...and the restaurant car will be a 7/11

CP submitting a bid is just a smoke screen, it is a foregone conclusion they will get the contract.

Come on everybody knows that CP are the most qualified outfit for the job, just a small step up from raising chickens.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The railway project comes at a time when a surge in tourist arrivals - more than half the population - has already strained the Thai infrastructure.

I thought we had just been informed tourist numbers are in decline.......

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) will take a month to consider the bids and is expected to propose the winner to the cabinet between January 28 and 31, acting governor Worawut Mala said in a statement.

Must be a huge backhander if it is going to take a month to count it all......I think we all know who will get the contract...

CP should not get this as they are already TOO BIG!!!
CP:
Largest animal feed producer in the world
Largest shrimp producer in the world
Top 3 poultry producer in the world
Top 3 pork producer in the world
10,000 7-11 shops
Owner of True Group

KFC (Thailand)

Macro

and more...

If they let CP get this, then they can just rename Thailand to CPland as they have already been pushing laws that makes it more and more difficult for the small farmers to work and live (they made the proposed ban on some agrochemicals go away not long ago, and before that they pushed the law that bans the traditional home slaughter...) and has killed of many of the small "mama papa" stores with their spread of 7-11 all over the place!!!

 

I am aware of the term "farmers with hammers" when it comes to house construction here, but "chicken farmers and high speed railways" thats a new one!!

2 hours ago, Cadbury said:

I am not so sure of that as there are no armed guards escorting the cardboard box. it's just a decoy.

I suspect the individually addressed envelopes are in an armoured car parked outside the rear door. 

No!

This is Thailand 4.0.

Electronic bank transfers to offshore tax haven account would be more appropriate.