EEC committee proceeds with bid process for airports despite CP's legal challenge

The source from the EEC Policy Committee revealed that the panel is gathering data of the private bidders for the two projects -- U-tapao International Airport and Eastern Airport City. The names of the bid winners will be announced by the end of September.
The source said the committee has continued the bidding process despite one of the bidders -- the Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group-led Thana Holding Consortium -- filing a lawsuit on August 21 against the committee for alleged unlawful selection process. The Central Administrative Court has already dismissed the case and allowed the committee to continue its process, but CP can file an appeal in 30 days, or before September 20.
The EEC Policy Committee had refused to accept CP’s technical proposal, business plan and price offer as they were submitted after the deadline had passed. This could result in the the disqualification of the CP Group, as they failed to submit some of the documents required by the bidding criteria, said the source.
Meanwhile, CP Group chief executive officer Suphachai Chearavanont said that CP will file a petition in the Central Administrative Court. “We are hoping for a favourable ruling by the court,” he said. “CP is highly committed to participating in these kinds of projects and we only want a fair and lawful bidding process.”
“If CP is not selected to build the projects, we will bow out and will not seek negotiations with bid winner(s) to jointly work on the projects,” said Suphachai
Besides CP’s Thana Holding Consortium, the other private bidders for the U-tapao International Airport and Eastern Airport City projects are BBS Joint Venture led by BTS Group Holdings Pcl and Grand Consortium led by Grand Asset Hotels and Properties Pcl.