Bangkok faces 11.75 billion baht Green Line debt crisis

[snoop1130]

 

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and its business arm, Krungthep Thanakom (KT), are urgently reviewing a National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) ruling before they settle a colossal 11.75 billion baht debt owed to the Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTSC). This follows a Supreme Administrative Court order on July 26, which gave BMA and KT just 180 days to pay up.

 

The debt, linked to the operating and maintenance (O&M) costs of the Saphan Taksin-Bang Wa and On Nut-Kheha Green Line extensions, is now under intense scrutiny due to a potentially game-changing NACC ruling.

 

The NACC previously determined that the BMA’s decision to hire BTSC to operate three extensions of the Green Line between 2021 and 2042 might have violated key laws, including the Private Participation in State Undertaking Act and the Act Concerning Offences Relating to the Submission of Bids to Government Agencies.

 

KT chairman Tongthong Chandransu revealed to Krungthep Turakij that BMA is treading carefully.

 

 

 

 

“We need to carefully interpret the details of the ruling as it involves a highly sensitive matter. If the violations affect the legality of the subsequent O&M contracts, we will resubmit the case to the administrative court to reconsider.”

 

Tongthong assured that if the contracts are found lawful, BMA and KT are ready to honour the court’s order and pay the debt. However, with the NACC’s findings hanging over the matter, the 180-day countdown to repayment might not be as straightforward as it seems.

 

Adding to the pressure, the 11.75-billion-baht debt is just one slice of a much larger 39.4-billion-baht pie that has already sparked years of legal battles, with fears that further delays could push the total amount to a staggering 40 billion baht, reported The Nation.

 

By Puntid Tantivangphaisal

Photo courtesy of The Nation

 

Source: The Thaiger 2024-08-30

 

 

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[hotchilli]

Drag it out why not....

[Srikcir]

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

This follows a Supreme Administrative Court order on July 26, which gave BMA and KT just 180 days to pay up.

Not so Supreme if it's ruling can be appealed to the SAC?

 

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

resubmit the case to the administrative court to reconsider.

 'Ominious' sounding. In Russia one might add 'the window is open.'

[Emdog]

Have some sky train extensions built and now they want us to pay for them!!!!??? No one saw that coming....

[Sydebolle]

The customer tells the supplier(s) what they want and they choose. As long as there are different tariffing and ticketing systems, one line does not connect in the same station to another line .......

The MRT does not take the rabbit card and uses tokens, the switch on Bangkok's main railway station needs skills and weekly, monthly or even yearly passes might make all these public transport products more attractive. Look at any European public transport system and learn, why it is so much more popular ........ No rocket science here! 

[kingstonkid]

39 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

The customer tells the supplier(s) what they want and they choose. As long as there are different tariffing and ticketing systems, one line does not connect in the same station to another line .......

The MRT does not take the rabbit card and uses tokens, the switch on Bangkok's main railway station needs skills and weekly, monthly or even yearly passes might make all these public transport products more attractive. Look at any European public transport system and learn, why it is so much more popular ........ No rocket science here! 

Just imagine when they try to get the companies to go to the 20 baht with the government subsidizing

 

[john donson]

don't give the 10k to bangkokians and use it to pay bills ?