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4 bid for water scheme
PONGPHON SARNSAMAK,
JEERAPONG PRASERTPHONKRANG
THE NATION



Two groups quit Bt350-bn mega- project; winners to be announced on June 4

BANGKOK: -- Bidding for the government's ambitious Bt350-billion water-management and flood-prevention mega-project officially kicked off yesterday with four groups of contractors handing in their final plans.

The selection committee will on June 4 announce the winning bidders for the nine project modules.

The four main contenders are Korea Water Resources Cooperation, ITD-Power China Joint Venture, Summit SUT and Loxley, who handed in their plans to the government's Water and Flood Management Committee (WFMC) yesterday. Two other qualified bidders - Team Thailand Joint Venture and Thailand-Japan JV - have decided to pull out.

According to Team Thailand, it has done its best to draw up a final plan, but found that it could not implement the projects under the budget set by the government.

Team Thailand is in fact qualified to bid for these projects under Module A3 and Module A6/B4 to construct a water-retention area and water and weather information centre, which are worth a total of Bt14 billion.

A representative from Summit SUT, who wished to remain anonymous, also voiced concern about the budgets set by the government.

"If the cost of the project is less than what can be considered reasonable, we could decide to pull out even if we win the bid," he said, speculating on the possibility that the government might want to push the price down further.

Summit SUT is bidding for Module B2, which focuses on city planning and land use in 17 basins nationwide worth about Bt14 billion.

Meanwhile, ITD-Power China Joint Venture has asked the government to set up a one-stop service to help contractors, when it comes to negotiating with local people.

Sumate Surabotsopon, executive vice president of Italian-Thai Development Public Co Ltd, which is representing ITD-Power China JV, said the contractors would face many risks.

"Hence, the government should help us by facilitating the projects, especially when it comes to paperwork related to gaining approval for the Environmental Impact Assessment report," he said, after handing in 18 boxes carrying more than 4,000 pages of documents to the WFMC.

Byung Hoon Yune, vice president of the Korea Water Resources Cooperation, said he was confident that his team would be able to complete the entire project within five years if his company won the bid.

However, he did voice concern about the lack of participation of local people, which he said was important for the project.

WFMC secretary-general Suphot Tovichakchaikul said his committee would spend about a month studying the final plans, before announcing the winners on June 4 and signing contracts with them 30 days later.

On May 27, the WFMC will announce the names of contenders who win at the technical level, before negotiating costs with them and announcing the final names on June 4.


-- The Nation 2013-05-04

[Locationthailand]

A sensible conclusion to assess on technical level before price is a great idea. Just wondering who within the govt can assess the technical expertise?

[rubl]

With companies voicing concern that the median prices set are about half of one would expect to be able to fullfill project requirements, one may wonder what can be done with the 'only 350 billion' set aside especially if there's an 30% administrative margin.
The 'help against the locals' sounds like yet another opportunity to increase the administrative overhead and at the same time induce local communities to stop protesting with help of boss and his goons (or should that be guns?).

In the mean time we Dutch simply do it 'our way' back home.

[muttley]

With companies voicing concern that the median prices set are about half of one would expect to be able to fullfill project requirements, one may wonder what can be done with the 'only 350 billion' set aside especially if there's an 30% administrative margin.

The 'help against the locals' sounds like yet another opportunity to increase the administrative overhead and at the same time induce local communities to stop protesting with help of boss and his goons (or should that be guns?).

In the mean time we Dutch simply do it 'our way' back home.

No disrespect rubl, but it does make me grin when I think of "experts" in water schemes coming from a race of people who ostensibly built their homes on water - I can see the appeal of Bangkok to you now

Edited May 4, 2013 by muttley

[rubl]

With our local expert on 'cocking a leg' having been heard of, let's just go back to Dutch experts who indeed by now also build homes on water. Mind you the topic and the clip talk about water management and how to keep the water from getting meters deep into your house.

For the "building on water" check this link which also has presentations and links to youtube clips:
"Building on Water conference and exhibition"
http://indonesia.nlembassy.org/organization/departments/economic-affairs/events%5B2%5D/building-on-water.html

[tomyummer]

With companies voicing concern that the median prices set are about half of one would expect to be able to fullfill project requirements, one may wonder what can be done with the 'only 350 billion' set aside especially if there's an 30% administrative margin.

The 'help against the locals' sounds like yet another opportunity to increase the administrative overhead and at the same time induce local communities to stop protesting with help of boss and his goons (or should that be guns?).

In the mean time we Dutch simply do it 'our way' back home.

No disrespect rubl, but it does make me grin when I think of "experts" in water schemes coming from a race of people who ostensibly built their homes on water - I can see the appeal of Bangkok to you now

Rubl is completely right. It's also hard these days to hide that 30%. It's funny how there are no more European companies stepping up to bid. Forget the Chinese, they will just do half the job and then take off.

I was once involved in the initial days of planning the 2012 Futsal World Cup here where we were asked to build a new stadium for 300 mb or so. Next thing you know it, the budget for 1.6 bn was approved. Where did the money go for the less than complete project?

This flooding issue is so much more dire and will be f*cked up just as all major projects in Thailand where the public is concerned.

Listen to the Dutch. They were better engineers centuries ago than Thailand is today.

[rubl]

I was once involved in the initial days of planning the 2012 Futsal World Cup here where we were asked to build a new stadium for 300 mb or so. Next thing you know it, the budget for 1.6 bn was approved. Where did the money go for the less than complete project?

A bit off topic, but as far as I remember the budget might have been 1.6 billion at some time, but the new government also more than halved it again for unclear reasons. That's one of the reasons the stadium wasn't finished.

[dcutman]

You can almost here the sucking sound of the money flowing out of the country from this proposed project, but pails in comparison to the next money train, pardon the pun.

[GentlemanJim]

The first dam that needs to be built is the one that stops quite unimaginable amounts of money for Government contracts from flowing away to places as yet unidentified.

[Tatsujin]

The first dam that needs to be built is the one that stops quite unimaginable amounts of money for Government contracts from flowing away to places as yet unidentified.

I think those places could be very easily identified . . . how is it that ex-MP's leave Govt service with WAY more money than they came in with.

[GentlemanJim]

The first dam that needs to be built is the one that stops quite unimaginable amounts of money for Government contracts from flowing away to places as yet unidentified.

I think those places could be very easily identified . . . how is it that ex-MP's leave Govt service with WAY more money than they came in with.

One could be forgiven for thinking that would be of greater interest to the DSI than 95% of it's current investigations...................but........... sigh!

[Pimay1]

The first dam that needs to be built is the one that stops quite unimaginable amounts of money for Government contracts from flowing away to places as yet unidentified.

I think those places could be very easily identified . . . how is it that ex-MP's leave Govt service with WAY more money than they came in with.

One could be forgiven for thinking that would be of greater interest to the DSI than 95% of it's current investigations...................but........... sigh!

Foxes investigating the foxes in charge of hen house? Don't think so.

[belg]

i guess the reason why european companies are not involved, maybe the highway to DM airport that was build by the germans and never paid ?

[pmugghc]

maybe the highway to DM airport that was build by the germans and never paid ?

I think you refer to the Hopewell project, which is a Hong Kong company.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Pimay1]

Can someone explain how they can continue with this project when there has not been an environmental impact study completed which is required by law?

[Thai at Heart]

Can someone explain how they can continue with this project when there has not been an environmental impact study completed which is required by law?

Oh don't make it complicated. The eia simply entails that gazillions of rai will be flooded permenantly or in times of emergency to save Bangkok. How the hell is the land office going to work this out?

Any takers? Not implying that no one has actually pointed out where this land will be exactly yet.

[rubl]

^15 pimay1:

Simple, TiT!

Mind you, in January we had PM Yingluck explain her (government's) four new strategies including this gem

"She said the government emphasises growth on the quality-of-life and environmentally-friendly basis"
http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/613663-yingluck-outlines-thailands-strategies/