There are countless megaprojects in the government’s master plan and some have already been initiated this year with a budget around THB1.94 billion set. The rest are in the bidding contest process with expected investment values to be around THB1.7 trillion.
Besides road infrastructure developments and maintenance, the progressing megaprojects at the moment are the motorway expansion and double track railway system.
Motorway
Pattaya – Map Ta Phut is one of the three motorways being developed in Thailand this year. It is a four-lane toll road that spans a total distance of 32 kilometres. The project has been divided into 13 sub-sites and most of them are already under construction. The capital expenditure for the project is roughly THB2.02 billion.
Bang Pa-In – Nakhon Ratchasima, the second route with a total distance of 196 kilometres and capital expenditure of THB8.46 billion. The project is divided into 40 sub-sites and the first 25 sub-sites have been assigned to a contractor who has already started work on one of them, the Mittraphap Interchange. The remaining 15 sub-sites are pending cabinet approval and the bidding contest to appoint contractors is expected to be held sometime this year.
Bang Yai – Kanchanaburi, a strategic route with a total distance and capital expenditure of 96 kilometres and THB4.37 million. The Department of Highways has contractors in hand for the first nine sub-sites with the project consisting of 25 total sub-sites. However, the construction agreements cannot be signed until the EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) is approved.
Double Track Railways System
Jira – Khonkaen is one of the double track routes that The State Railway of Thailand is currently making progress on. It covers a total distance of 187 kilometres and has budget of THB2.6 billion.
Furthermore, there are five double track routes that The State Railway of Thailand aims to conclude bidding contests on within this year. These routes include Prachuap Khiri Khan – Chumphon that has a total distance of 167 kilometres and a budget of THB1.7 billion. The second, Mapkabao – Jira, has a total distance of 132 kilometres and a budget set at THB2.9 billion. The cabinet has approved the first one, while the latter route is still pending approval.
The other three double track routes are Nakhon Pathom – Huahin, Lopburi – Paknampho, and Huahin – Prachuap Khiri Khan. The first has a total distance and budget of 165 kilometres and THB2 billion, the second will span 148 kilometres and has a budget of THB2.4 billion and the third project is 90 kilometres with a budget of THB1 billion. The Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board has certified these three double track routes; and investment values from the five double track routes mentioned will boost the nation’s economy during the first half of 2017.
Besides this, The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand is also conducting ongoing bidding contests for three routes: the MRT Pink Line, MRT Yellow Line and MRT Orange Line. The Pink Line will be 36 kilometres and have a budget of THB5.66 billion, the Yellow Line will be 30.4 kilometres with a budget of THB5.46 billion and the Orange Line will cover 20 kilometres and has a THB9.25 billion budget. The first two routes will begin private sector bidding on 7th November with the results expected on 17th November. Meanwhile, the MRT Orange Line will be open for bidding on 31st October.
