Thai Government to set up new State Railway of Thailand board to proceed with airport rail-links contract
The high speed rail connection project between Don Muang, Suvarnabhumi, and U-Tapao airports is facing a major obstacle after the State Railway of Thailand’s (SRT) entire executive board members resigned, preventing the signing of the land confiscation contract to proceed according to schedule, on 15th October.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul, who is supervising the Ministry of Transport, has disclosed that the resignation of all SRT board members on 1st October, annuls the planned contract signing on 15th October.
He said a new SRT board needs to be set up urgently to proceed with project contracting, to comply with the 7th November deadline, on which date the contract must already have been signed.
“It is difficult now for 15th October after the SRT board resignation. They, the former board members, are now responsible for any consequences after this. Thus, I have to urgently inform the Prime Minister that he now has to appoint new SRT board members who will sign the contract and inform the Cabinet, as all processes must be done by 7th November.”
The Minister of Transport Saksayam Chidchob, said today after his discussion with Mr Anutin and the contractor-selection committee for the airports railway project, that the Ministry of Transport has nominated new members of the SRT board to the State Enterprise Policy Office for verification, after which the Ministry of Transport will receive the results and then forward the list to the Cabinet for final approval, which should take place next week.
He said the new SRT board members will pursue the signing of project contracts with CP, the winning contractor, this month.
Source: Thaivisa
