Srettha urges speed-up of talks on airport rail link

Srettha stayed overnight in Pattaya, a seaside town in Chonburi province, on Saturday night, and made an inspection trip to U-Tapao Airport in Rayong’s Ban Chang district at 10.30am on Sunday.

He was accompanied by Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit, Deputy Transport Minister Manaporn Charoensri, and Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat.

The visit was also accompanied by Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Phadung Phan-iam, Rayong Governor Traiphop Wongtrairat, Chonburi Governor Thawatchai Srithong and Pattya Mayor Poramet Nagmpichet as well as representatives of government agencies.

After Srettha chaired a meeting at the airport with the agencies concerned with the development of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), deputy government spokeswoman Radklao Inthawong Suwankiri quoted Srettha as telling Suriya that talks on the contract amendment between the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and a Charoen Pokphand Group-led consortium should be sped up.

CP Group subsidiary Asia Era One has won a concession to build and operate the railway to link U-Tapao, Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang International airports but construction has not started yet.

Radklao quoted Srettha as saying during the meeting that his government attached priority to the airport rail link as an EEC megaproject.

Srettha said the rail link’s construction should have started in 2021 but the Covid-19 crisis caused it to be delayed, and the impact from the pandemic prompted the contractor to ask for a review and amendment of the contract to make it fairer.

Srettha then asked the transport minister whether the negotiation between the SRT and CP Group subsidiary Asia Era One, which has won the contract, could be completed this year.

Srettha noted that if the expansion project of U-Tapao Airport is done but the rail link has not yet been completed, there could be a lot of impact.

“By the end of July, we should have good news regarding the three airports. I would like all sides to come to a talk to get all the projects moving on,” Radklao quoted Srettha as saying.

Srettha also told the meeting that he visited Pattaya on Saturday to consider economic stimulus measures for the seaside town, which could include concerts and festivals.

Srettha said he would also later on Sunday visit the site for building a Formula One stadium, a project that could draw a lot of foreign tourists to Thailand.

According to Radklao, EEC Office secretary general Chula Sukmanop reported to Srettha during the meeting that the U-Tapao expansion project has progressed a lot.

Chula said the construction of the electrical system and water cooling system has progressed by 26.42% while the expansion of the petrol refilling system has progressed by 48.41%.

He added that work on tap-water and wastewater treatment has been done by 98.44%.

Chula added that the joint development with the private sector of the airport into an aviation city could start this year with the construction of the third passenger terminal building, a satellite terminal, and a shopping mall.

Chula said the aviation city would start operating in 2029.
Radklao added that the EEC has a goal to draw investments worth at least 100 billion baht for five consecutive years starting this year.

Currently, there are more than 30 firms negotiating with the EEC Office for investment privileges under a new policy and they may make investments in five key industries worth some 210 billion baht, the spokeswoman concluded.