Transparency, accelerated process key to PPP plan: Thai Minister Sommai

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Transparency, accelerated process key to PPP plan: Sommai
ERICH PARPART
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- FINANCE MINISTER Sommai Phasee yesterday told foreign investors about the government's emphasis on public-private partnerships (PPP) in the current and long-term investment in Thailand's soft and hard infrastructures, and said the new PPP strategic plan should be submitted to the Cabinet in April.

The plan would give importance to transparency and the acceleration of government working processes to improve, streamline and standardise the PPP programme, while lowering requirements to make it more flexible for PPP projects that cost less than Bt1 billion and do not relate to infrastructure plans.

Any infrastructure project that is worth more than Bt5 billion would be subject to close inspection by the Committee of Private Investment in State Undertakings, which is currently chaired by the deputy prime minister in charge of the economy, MR Pridiyathorn Devakula.

"There needs to be an opportunity for the private sector to participate in order for all of this [government infrastructure projects] to be successful, so we have comprehensively reviewed the existing PPP regulations.

"In fact, this was [essentially] done about two years ago with a view to making it easier and faster for the private sector to get involved in the country's infrastructure investments," said Sommai.

He was speaking at the "Thailand Infrastructure and REIT Conference 2015", arranged by Macquarie, the Public Debt Management Office, and the State Enterprise Policy Office, and held in Bangkok.

"A new PPP strategic plan is currently being developed, whereby infrastructure projects that cost more than Bt5 billion would have to strictly follow the existing rules and regulations. But projects worth Bt1 billion-Bt5 billion that are not related to infrastructure projects, such as land development involving the private and public sectors, would be given the go-ahead almost right away.

"Infrastructure projects of Bt1 billion to Bt5 billion, meanwhile, would be inspected by the PPP committee, but the rules would be more lenient," he added.

The finance minister also told the conference that the Committee of Private Investment in State Undertakings would meet tomorrow to finalise the PPP strategic plan, before introducing it to a public hearing in March and presenting it to the Cabinet by April.

"Giving a country better roads and a more stable power supply, and the other associated infrastructure around that, not only enables trade to flow within the country more efficiently and effectively, but also outside of the country. And when you are an export-driven county, when you have that complemented by a service industry, it can lead - and should lead - to good economic growth, and we expect to see that in Thailand in the coming years," said Ben Way, chief executive officer of Macquarie Group Asia.

Sommai said he was, however, still concerned about the quality and knowledge of public-sector personnel, which needed to be improved.

The government should, therefore, pay more attention to support and training for these officials to ensure the efficiency of current and future PPP programmes, he stressed.

The minister told the conference that the infrastructure projects and sectors that would most likely be open for the PPP programme were transportation, such as mass transit in Bangkok, intra-state and intra-regional roads, airport projects, and deep-sea ports, along with the social sector — healthcare and education, in particular. "I would like to reaffirm our commitment to making sure that these [infrastructure] plans become reality. Our political impasse has caused the delays and our country has missed out on many opportunities to develop,' he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Transparency-accelerated-process-key-to-PPP-plan-S-30253732.html


-- The Nation 2015-02-10

[rickirs]

"In fact, this was [essentially] done about two years ago with a view to making it easier and faster for the private sector to get involved in the country's infrastructure investments,"

So the 'new' PPP strategic plan to be submitted to the Cabinet basically just updates the names of the previous regime to the current. Now that's a game changer!

[halloween]

"In fact, this was [essentially] done about two years ago with a view to making it easier and faster for the private sector to get involved in the country's infrastructure investments,"

So the 'new' PPP strategic plan to be submitted to the Cabinet basically just updates the names of the previous regime to the current. Now that's a game changer!

They also added "Criminals need not apply." and "No special deals for Shinawatras or their proxies." in an aim to reduce the possibility of corruption.