High-speed train contracts to be signed by year end: transport minister

By The Nation

 

Saksayam Chidchob (File Photo)

 

Minister of Transport Saksayam Chidchob said that the first section of the high-speed train project between Bangkok and Korat, under a collaboration of the Thai and Chinese governments, is progressing as planned.

 

“State Railway of Thailand (SRT) already finished contract signing for 12 of the 14 construction contracts,” he said. “The rest are awaiting the bidding process, which should start this month.” All 14 contracts should be signed within 2019, he said.

 

The two pending contracts are related to the construction of railroad in the Bang Sue-Don Muang section, said the minister. “This section is tricky, since parts of the area are overlapping with another high-speed rail project that links three airports – Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi, and U-tapao.”

 

According to Saksayam, SRT will have to wait till the bid winner of that project first commences their work, before they could then commence signing contracts on their part.

 

Meanwhile, SRT’s acting governor Worawut Mala has revealed that the state railway is planning an August 9 discussion session with CP Group, the bid winner of the three-airport rail link deal.

 

“We will ask CP to start their work in the area by paying out of their own pocket, but they will later be compensated by the contractors of the Thai-Chinese high-speed train project, who will resume their work based on CP’s existing infrastructure” he said.

 

“All bidding processes should conclude before December 2019, allowing the contract singing of all projects to finish by year end,” said the SRT chief.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30375733

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-09-03

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all above board and accounted 

 

who got rich on that one lol

''All-aboard, the gravy train is leaving the station''...

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Minister of Transport Saksayam Chidchob said that the first section of the high-speed train project between Bangkok and Korat, under a collaboration of the Thai and Chinese governments, is progressing as planned.

 

“State Railway of Thailand (SRT) already finished contract signing for 12 of the 14 construction contracts,” he said. “The rest are awaiting the bidding process, which should start this month.” All 14 contracts should be signed within 2019, he said.

  This must be more fake news.

 

In December 2017, from the link below:

"THE government has set a new target to call for construction bids for the Bt179-billion, 252-kilometre Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima high-speed railway by the end of next year, according to Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittay-apaisith.

Arkhom said a total of 13 construction contracts for the Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima route would be open for bidding in 2018 so that construction could be completed and the system become operational in 2021."

 

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016957-construction-bids-for-high-speed-train-project-in-coordination-with-china-to-be-completed-in-2018/

 

Strange how things work.  I read many months ago that a Japanese firm did an assessment on the profitability of the HSR and it turns out, in all likely hood, it will lose money every year.  So given good advice on it's viability, they are still going ahead with it!  I guess that sometimes pride can get in the way of making the right decision.

1 hour ago, Grumpy John said:

Strange how things work.  I read many months ago that a Japanese firm did an assessment on the profitability of the HSR and it turns out, in all likely hood, it will lose money every year.  So given good advice on it's viability, they are still going ahead with it!  I guess that sometimes pride can get in the way of making the right decision.

It will be the Thai Airways of Rolling Stock. 

Everyone should be reminded of the still ongoing "Hopewell" debacle.

Why will it take until the end of the year for contracts to be signed?

Oops silly me, that is so all the bidders have plenty of time to wheel in the barrows stuffed with cash.

And cry's of where has all the money gone by Easter followed by court proceedings start in 10 years time????

5 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Why will it take until the end of the year for contracts to be signed?

Oops silly me, that is so all the bidders have plenty of time to wheel in the barrows stuffed with cash.

Or in this case, 'freight wagons' - there must be so much cash involved. That must be what's causing the delay from the first fairy story in 2017.

<sarcasm mode: on>

Now don't forget there's only 15 months left until the Bangkok-Korat section is completed and up and running, according to (then) Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittay-apaisith.

<sarcasm mode: off>

 

13 minutes ago, sammieuk1 said:

And cry's of where has all the money gone by Easter followed by court proceedings start in 10 years time????

I think you've played this game before.

Hopewell 2.0 ???

7 hours ago, smedly said:

all above board and accounted 

 

who got rich on that one lol

China.

While the Hopewell saga is far from over, by intervention of the very same minister who seems to be able to query if not overrule the highest court's decision. 

We will see ......... looking forward to the three hours trip from Bangkok to Nong Khai anytime soon then ???? 

9 hours ago, webfact said:

“The rest are awaiting the bidding process, which should start this month.”

Kerching !

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

China.

Also the insiders in the know who bought up the land needed for the track.

7 hours ago, Grumpy John said:

Strange how things work.  I read many months ago that a Japanese firm did an assessment on the profitability of the HSR and it turns out, in all likely hood, it will lose money every year.  So given good advice on it's viability, they are still going ahead with it!  I guess that sometimes pride can get in the way of making the right decision.

That is a different Japanese contract from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. The Japanese are far more inscrutable and honourable. They know a loser when the see one.

The Chinese probably can too but first they will milk the Thais for all they are worth by lending them the money they need, use their own management and specialised labour to build it and later dump it back on the Thais and walk away because it loses money. 

If the State Railway of Thailand SRT has anything to do with it it will be a big time loser. The SRT has troughs that are wide and deep and has many useless pigs to feed. Just like all other state run enterprises.

8 hours ago, Grumpy John said:

Strange how things work.  I read many months ago that a Japanese firm did an assessment on the profitability of the HSR and it turns out, in all likely hood, it will lose money every year.  So given good advice on it's viability, they are still going ahead with it!  I guess that sometimes pride can get in the way of making the right decision.

The Japanese were involved in the tender for BKK to CM. 

8 hours ago, Grumpy John said:

Strange how things work.  I read many months ago that a Japanese firm did an assessment on the profitability of the HSR and it turns out, in all likely hood, it will lose money every year.  So given good advice on it's viability, they are still going ahead with it!  I guess that sometimes pride can get in the way of making the right decision.

Are governments supposed to be in the business of making money? If so, why governments build roads, bridges, dams, schools, hospitals, police stations, prisons etc.?

Edited September 3, 20196 yr by Selatan

1 hour ago, Cadbury said:

That is a different Japanese contract from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. The Japanese are far more inscrutable and honourable. They know a loser when the see one.

The Chinese probably can too but first they will milk the Thais for all they are worth by lending them the money they need, use their own management and specialised labour to build it and later dump it back on the Thais and walk away because it loses money. 

If the State Railway of Thailand SRT has anything to do with it it will be a big time loser. The SRT has troughs that are wide and deep and has many useless pigs to feed. Just like all other state run enterprises.

Very astute of you... we see the same scenario many times!

Has first section the 3 K "Test" track been completed yet ?

 

I do love a good Bangkok- Korat High speed railway thread  

9 hours ago, Oziex1 said:

It will be the Thai Airways of Rolling Stock. 

Laughing stock 

37 minutes ago, Dave67 said:

Has first section the 3 K "Test" track been completed yet ?

 

I do love a good Bangkok- Korat High speed railway thread  

You won't be disappointed Dave.

Quite a few weeks back Yinn posted a Thai language link to a video, after my usual complaint that we hadn't heard a peep in months about how whole thing was coming on.

 

It appeared the video was to explain how well the construction was going. It was an aerial video, showing areas being cleared, some track being moved into position, etc. It appeared to look like a massive undertaking.

In the end it was all the 3.5km test track.

 

So only another 260km to build and complete in 15 months. No problem - as I'm sure you will agree, being in the trade.

8 hours ago, bluesofa said:

You won't be disappointed Dave.

Quite a few weeks back Yinn posted a Thai language link to a video, after my usual complaint that we hadn't heard a peep in months about how whole thing was coming on.

 

It appeared the video was to explain how well the construction was going. It was an aerial video, showing areas being cleared, some track being moved into position, etc. It appeared to look like a massive undertaking.

In the end it was all the 3.5km test track.

 

So only another 260km to build and complete in 15 months. No problem - as I'm sure you will agree, being in the trade.

Replace months with years and that would be closer

Edited September 3, 20196 yr by Dave67

Anyone who has seen the massive development around the new station at Bang Sue might wonder?

It sounds like Thailand is still negotiating what trains will come here.  A bit late maybe?  Or a weak bargaining position anyway.