Trump chickens out again.

[webfact]

INVESTMENT
Govt 'must prioritise' big projects
Sirivish Toomgum
The Nation


Transport Minister ACM Prajin Juntong, left, delivers speech in the roundtable, which was moderated by Suthichai Yoon, right, advisor to the Nation Multimedia Group

BANGKOK: -- KEY business leaders have urged the Transport Ministry to prioritise infrastructure mega-projects to facilitate short-term economic stimulus and promote long-term national competitive strategies.

Transport Minister ACM Prajin Juntong acknowledged the need for such priorities during a recent roundtable discussion co-organised by Krungthep Turakij newspaper, the Transport Ministry and Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel.

The private sector called on the ministry to select a few mega-projects and see them through quickly to build confidence to tackle the long list of pending projects. In a speech on the topic of public-private collaboration on infrastructure development to drive the economy, Prajin hinted that some projects could get off the ground soon or ahead of the original timeframes.

For example, he said, all six dual-track rail routes would be put up for bidding by December or January.

The minister said he was aware that development of some projects, especially those in the public-private partnership (PPP) scheme, took time as they have to go through a number of lengthy processes or are struck in legal difficulties.

He said the ministry had tried to put some PPP projects on a fast-track and asked all related parties to work harder to ensure the projects complete all the required processes in eight months instead of 12 months, while at the same time ensuring transparency.

Isara Vongkusolkit, chairman of the Board of Trade of Thailand and Thai Chamber of Commerce, told the minister had a clear working direction but the ministry should prioritise project implementation since there are so many planned projects.

He said the private sector doubted that Thailand has sufficient capacity in terms of the engineering workforce and experts to handle all the planned projects.

In March, Cabinet approved the ministry's eight-year infrastructure investment projects, which are supposed to kick off this year. The projects will cost around Bt1.9 trillion all up.

Chansak Fuangfu, senior executive vice-president of Bangkok Bank, said that based on existing resources and capacities, Thailand should set clear priorities for project investment.

Prasert Marittanaporn, senior executive vice-president of Ch Karnchang's administration group, said his company was ready to handle the new mega-projects if they were made available gradually.

Pakpoom Srichamni, president of Sino-Thai Engineering and Construc-tion, said he was confident his company and other Thai contractors had the capacity to serve the new mega-projects.

Project master plans looked promising, said Pimolpa Suntichok, head of Siam Commercial Bank's Corporate Segment, but she warned the roundtable that banks were concerned how the projects would be executed. In the past, some mega-projects were due to be finished in a few years but land expropriation ended up taking almost eight years. Thus, all projects need coordination among all involved parties.

The roundtable discussion was moderated by Suthichai Yoon, advisor to the Nation Multimedia Group's editorial board.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Govt-must-prioritise-big-projects-30266695.html


-- The Nation 2015-08-17

[alant]

A little lost here

"For example, he said, all six dual-track rail routes would be put up for bidding by December or January."

i thought the rail projects were all done and dusted and to be completed by 2017 or so.

[Cylon]

They disrupt traffic for years on Phuket to dig underpasses,while the rest of the roading and drainage system falls to bits.

[metisdead]

A post in violation of fair use policy has been removed.

[Srikcir]

"KEY business leaders have urged the Transport Ministry to prioritise infrastructure mega-projects to facilitate short-term economic stimulus"

NO.

Despite 14 months of urgings from business leaders, the government has only disbursed 53% of its FY 2015 budget with less than two months remaining in the fiscal year to spend the balance.

This is not the time to form another committee to prioritize projects other than to begin immediately awarding contracts.

A contract award obligates the government for the entire cost of the project no matter if the duration of the project extends beyond the current fiscal year. So government ACTION is needed.