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  • #31
    If you've ever wondered,...........why it started but was never finished.


    Hopewell, the ‘ghost’ transport project still haunting Thailand 3 decades on

    A landmark ruling last month by the Constitutional Court has handed the Thai government a lifeline in its three-decade-old battle over the multibillion-baht Hopewell saga.

    On March 17, the court overturned the Supreme Administrative Court’s 2002 resolution on the statute of limitations for the Hopewell case.

    The court explained that the resolution was invalid because it had not been sent to Parliament for inspection or published in the Royal Gazette as required by the Constitution.

    The new ruling revives Thai authorities’ hopes of escaping a court order to pay Bt25.4 billion in compensation for the 1998 cancellation of the Bt80-billion elevated highway and railway project.

    For the past 23 years, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and Transport Ministry have been caught in legal wrangling with concessionaire Hopewell (Thailand) – a subsidiary of the Hong Kong-based developer Hopewell Holdings.

    How it all began

    In November 1990, the Chatichai Choonhavan government awarded Hopewell a 30-year concession to build and operate a project to link Don Mueang Airport – Bangkok’s only international airport at the time – with the city.

    The contract was signed amid allegations of corruption and unusual land deals. Construction began even before ownership of the land was completely secured.

    Called the Bangkok Elevated Road and Train System, the project was designed as a 60-kilometre elevated construction incorporating a highway to Don Muang Airport, a main line for regular trains, and a light-rail line linking the airport and the city.

    Doomed

    With no clear schedule for completion, construction of the project started slowly in 1990 due to issues over land acquisition. Two years later, construction was suspended by the post-coup government led by Anand Panyarachun, before resuming later in the year when Chuan Leekpai took over.

    The project came to a halt again in August 1997 at the height of the Asian financial crisis. Only about 10 per cent complete, the Hopewell construction had been progressing so slowly that it earned the nickname “seven-generation project”. Its half-finished columns stand as eyesores to this day and are often referred to as “Thailand’s Stonehenge”.

    In January 1998, the second Chuan-led government formally cancelled the contract, citing repeated delays in the construction.

    Hopewell’s big boss – Hong Kong tycoon Gordon Wu – blamed Thailand’s political instability for slowing down the acquisition of land for the project.

    Thai officials, however, put the slow progress down to Hopewell’s lack of funds. Observers also pointed to the financial crisis as a key reason for the project’s collapse.

    Long legal fight

    Both Thai authorities and Hopewell demanded compensation and claimed rights over the project space, before finally entering the arbitration process in 2004. Hopewell sought Bt56 billion in damages while SRT demanded Bt200 billion.

    In November 2008, the arbitration tribunal ordered the SRT and Transport Ministry to pay Bt11.8 billion in compensation to Hopewell for “unfair contract termination”.

    The ministry and SRT then took their case to the Central Administrative Court, which in March 2014 annulled the arbitrators’ order.

    Hopewell appealed the verdict and the Supreme Administrative Court in April 2019 reversed the lower court’s ruling, ordering the state agencies to pay the compensation plus interest calculated at 7.5 per cent per annum, which came up to Bt25.4 billion.

    In July that year, both Thai agencies petitioned the Central Administrative Court to revive the case, citing new evidence and “missed facts”. The court dismissed the petition saying there were insufficient grounds for a retrial.

    In June 2020, SRT also asked the Central Administrative Court to revoke Hopewell’s 2010 business registration on grounds that the company exceeded the legal foreign-ownership limit. The move was aimed at voiding the deal between Hopewell and the two state agencies.

    A month later, the Supreme Administrative Court rejected the SRT and ministry’s appeal and upheld the lower court’s decision dismissing the request for retrial. The two state agencies were left facing the earlier order to compensate Hopewell.

    Bone of contention

    In November last year, the Ombudsman’s Office passed a petition from the two agencies to the Constitutional Court for a verdict on whether the 2002 statute of limitations ruling was constitutional. The ombudsman also asked the charter court to rule if it was in conflict with the 1999 Act of the Administrative Court’s Establishment and Administrative Case Proceedings.

    The verdict confirmed that Hopewell had sought the arbitration tribunal’s judgement within the statute of limitations.

    However, SRT and the Transport Ministry argued that the 1999 legislation governing the Administrative Court stated that “the case involving a dispute in relation to an administrative contract … shall be filed within five years from the date on which the cause of action is known or should have been known”.

    In its 2014 ruling in favour of the Thai government, the Central Administrative Court found that Hopewell had brought its case to the arbitration tribunal on November 24, 2004 – more than a year after the legal deadline. The court said the case should have been filed by January 30, 2003 – five years after the government cancelled the contract.

    The Supreme Administrative Court, however, disagreed and ruled in Hopewell’s favour, stating the statute of limitations should be counted from the time the court began operating in 2001.

    What comes next?

    One day after the Constitutional Court’s March 17 verdict, the Administrative Court stated that the Transport Ministry and SRT were still required to pay compensation to Hopewell as per the Supreme Administrative Court’s ruling but could seek a retrial.

    “They still have to comply with the verdict, but it depends on them whether they decide to seek a retrial,” said court spokesman Prawit Boonthiam.

    The court can also judge whether the Constitutional Court’s ruling constitutes “new evidence” that may warrant a retrial, Prawit added.

    Chief Ombudsman Viddhavat Rajatanun said the Constitutional Court’s ruling is indeed “new evidence” which requires a retrial.

    “With the Constitutional Court’s ruling, the Supreme Administrative Court’s resolution, which is a bone of contention, may not be enforced. This in turn could affect Hopewell’s case, as it may be deemed to have been filed after the statute of limitations expired,” he said.

    “However, whether the government does or does not pay compensation will depend on the Administrative Court’s judgement,” the ombudsman said.: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/hopewel...-3-decades-on/


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    • #32
      BTS management takes its debt dispute with BMA to YouTube

      Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTSC) has posted a video on YouTube, asking the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to repay the costs it had incurred running the Green Line extension.

      The BTSC has repeatedly demanded from the BMA repayment of the Bt30-billion debt it had incurred from operating the Green Line extension and related expenses since 2018. The payment was due on March 31.

      BTSC is a subsidiary of the SET-listed BTS Group Holdings Plc, and owns the Silom Line from National Stadium to the Taksin Bridge station, and the Sukhumvit route from Mor Chit to On Nut. The extensions of those two lines are owned by the BMA, which had hired BTSC to operate the service.

      Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang in February had said that the city administration did not have money to repay the debt.

      The video released on Friday had voiceover by BTS director Surapong Laoha-Unya.

      In thevideo, the Skytrain operator mentions the Bt30-billion debt, which includes over Bt9.6 billion in wages for operating the Green Line extension since 2018 and purchase of a train operating system worth over Bt20 billion.

      “The company has tried its best to show responsibility, as well as offer a solution for the problem. But it seems there are problems within problems, which the BTSC cannot tackle,” the director said in the video.

      Surapong also told the public that, “there are people who do not want this issue to be resolved so they create reasons to obstruct it, without caring about its effect on the future, especially on the general people.”

      In late January, the BTSC had threatened to suspend the train services unless the BMA paid its debt for operating the Green Line extension since 2018.: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30404754

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      • #33
        BMA halts construction of MRT Yellow Line after crane accident



        The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) ordered the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) to temporarily halt the construction of the Yellow Line train route on the Lat Phrao-Samrong section for seven days from April 14 after an April 13 accident injured a motorcyclist, Bangkok Governor Pol General Aswin Kwanmuang said on Thursday.

        The accident took place at around noon on Srinagarindra Road Soi 1 when a construction crane toppled to the road. The debris from the fall led to a motorcycle crash, with the rider sustaining a minor injury. He was sent to Lat Phrao hospital for treatment.

        There were no reports of damage to other property or equipment.According to the MRTA, the crane was installing an emergency walkway between the guideway beam of the elevated train route when a sling snapped and caused the crane to lose balance and fall.

        “The MRTA was asked to halt construction for seven days to fix the damage and ensure compliance with regulations on construction of public facilities as well as other safety standards,” Aswin said.

        “They will also have to compensate the victim and file a report with the BMA’s Public Works Department.”

        The MRT Yellow Line is an elevated mass rapid transit route linking Bangkok’s Lat Phrao to Samut Prakan province. The 30.4-kilometre-long line will have 23 stations and is planned to fully open in July 2023.: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30404899

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        • #34
          Democrat politician asks why BTS cheaper than state-run MRT

          Fares on the BTS Green Line are cheaper than the MRT Blue and Purple Lines, Samart Ratchapolsitee, deputy leader of the Democrat Party, pointed out in a Facebook post on Sunday.

          In the post, the politician compared the average fare for a one-kilometre trip on the BTS Green Line versus the same distance on the MRT and showed that the BTS fare costs Bt1.23 while the MRT is Bt1.59.

          He also pointed out that the 53km BTS run from Samut Prakan’s Kheha station to Pathum Thani’s Khu Khot station costs just Bt65. In comparison, the 44km MRT line from Khlong Bang Phai station in

          Nonthaburi to Hua Lamphong station in Bangkok costs Bt70 – Bt42 for 23km from Khlong Bang Phai to Tao Poon on the Purple Line and Bt28 for the 21km from Tao Poon to Hua Lamphong on the Blue Line.

          Samart also asked why fares on the MRT, run by the state’s Mass Rapid Transport Authority (MRTA), are not cheaper when the government holds the largest share on the MRT lines.: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30405054

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          • #35
            BTS management to take BMA to court over Bt30-billion Green Line dues

            The Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTSC) is preparing to file a case at the Central Administrative Court against the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) for repayment of the costs it had incurred running the Green Line extension, BTS director Surapong Laoha-Unya said.

            The BTS Skytrain operator has repeatedly demanded from the BMA repayment of the Bt30-billion expenditure it had incurred operating the Green Line extension and related expenses since 2018. The payment was due on March 31.

            “The debt includes over Bt10.9 billion in wages for operating the Green Line extension since 2018 and purchase of a train operating system worth over Bt20.7 billion,” said Surapong.

            “The company has been carrying this burden for four years while the BMA says it has no money to pay and is urging the government to take care of the debt.”

            BTSC is a subsidiary of the SET-listed BTS Group Holdings Plc, and owns the Silom Line from National Stadium to the Taksin Bridge station, and the Sukhumvit route from Mor Chit to On Nut. The extensions of those two lines are owned by the BMA, which had hired BTSC to operate the service.

            “As a SET-listed company with more than 101,700 shareholders, BTS Group Holdings needs to take this case to court to protect the rights of our shareholders who are mostly the general public,” added Surapong.

            “We have no intention of using this debt as a condition to amend the Green Line concession contract.”: https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000269

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            • #36
              Thailand - SRT cancels a number of trains until June 1

              The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) announced on its Facebook page on Wednesday that it would cancel certain train routes from April 30 until June 1 corresponding to the decreasing number of passengers as well as to curb Covid-19.

              Trains that will be canceled from April 30 until May 1 are:

              - Northern route: 7, 9, 107, 108, 111, 207, 209, 210

              - Northeastern route: 21, 22, 23, 25, 71, 75, 139, 140, 145, 339, 340 419, 420, 423, 424, 422, 425, 439, 440

              - Southern route: 31, 37, 39, 43, 44, 83, 175, 176, 251, 252, 259, 485, 486

              - Urban trains: 4302, 4303, 4308, 4314, 4315, 4316, 4317, 4320, 4321, 4322, 4323, 4326, 4327, 4340, 4341, 4346, 4347, 4381, 4382, 4384, 4385

              - Guided tour trains: 909, 910, 911, 912, 997, 998.

              Trains that will be cancelled from May 1 until June 1 are:

              - Northern route: 8, 10, 112, 208

              - Northeastern route: 24, 26, 72, 76, 146

              - Southern route: 32, 38, 40, 84, 260.

              However, the following long-distance trains will still run:

              - Northern route: 13, 14, 109, 102

              - Northeastern route: 67, 68, 133, 134, 135, 136

              - Southern route: 85, 86, 167, 168, 171, 172, 255, 254, 257, 258.

              The SRT added that it would also change the timings of Express Train No 109 (Bangkok-Chiang Mai), which will depart from Bangkok at 7am and arrive in Chiang Mai at 9.10pm, until further notice.: https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000343
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              • #37
                SRT to invite private sector bids for managing commercial areas

                The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) will invite bids from private contractors to manage the commercial areas at the Bang Sue Grand Station as well as along the Red Line suburban railway system in June this year, Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said this week.

                “The project will cover a total area of 52,375 square metres, including food courts, shops and parking lots,” he said.

                “The SRT will also seek contractors to operate limousine or shuttle bus services for commuters under a 15-20-year contract.”

                Saksayam added that a detailed survey revealed the Bang Sue Grand Station has total commercial area of 4,626 square metres and advertising area of 2,407sqm.

                “We plan to let private companies use these areas under a three-year contract. The bidding should start in June, the contract signing in August, and the station would open for the public at the end of 2021.”

                Saksayam has also ordered the SRT to study suitable fares for the Red Line urban train based on operational cost, number of passengers and frequency of trains.

                “The ministry also has been working with Krungthai Bank Plc to implement the EMV [Europay Mastercard and Visa] system throughout the train route to increase convenience for commuters, and estimated that it would be ready by the time the station opens,” he said.

                The 139km Red Line suburban railway system will consist of two lines, one (also referred to as Dark Red Line) running from Thammasat University's Rangsit campus to Maha Chai in Samut Sakhon province, and the other (Light Red Line) running from Salaya in Nakhon Pathom province to Hua Mark in Bangkok, with both passing through Bang Sue Grand Station, which will act as a connecting hub to the MRT system.: https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000433

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                • #38
                  Brown Line, expressway schemes win MRTA nod

                  The Brown Line monorail from Khae Rai to Lam Sali, with an accompanying expressway, has been approved by the Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA).

                  MRTA Governor Pakapong Sirikantaramas made the announcement after an MRTA board meeting which also discussed the source of funding for the construction of the monorail's foundations.

                  The Finance Ministry is responsible for finding appropriate sources of funding, including loans, for the construction, he said.

                  The Brown Line will be constructed at the same time as the northern section of the expressway running parallel with it by the Expressway Authority of Thailand.

                  The MRTA will submit the Brown Line project to the Finance Ministry and the cabinet respectively for approval, said the governor.

                  The Brown Line and expressway projects will hold the bidding process in October to select a concessionaire to construct both projects.

                  Using the same concessionaire for both projects would help save construction costs and shorten the construction period.

                  Constructing both simultaneously would also help to reduce traffic problems during the construction period and minimise impacts on the public, the MRTA governor said.

                  The Khae Rai-Lam Sali Brown Line monorail will be on an elevated track and have a total of 20 stations spanning 22.1 kilometres. It will be above the expressway along Prasert Manukitch Road for 7.2km.

                  The monorail will cost around 50 billion baht, and the expressway 25 billion baht.

                  It will be the first monorail in the Prasert Manukitch area, a growing residential zone with few bus routes.: https://www.bangkokpost.com/business...s-win-mrta-nod

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                  • #39
                    75 fire dept personnel involved in LRT crash rescue operation




                    Published 25 May 2021, 9:23 am
                    Modified 11:48 am
                    A+A-
                    5

                    A total of 75 Fire and Rescue Department personnel from Kuala Lumpur, led by its chief Nordin Pauzi, were involved in the rescue operations following a collision of two LRT trains last night, according to a preliminary report of the incident.

                    The Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department in the report released late last night said it received an emergency call at 8.37pm and a fire engine from the KLCC station arrived at the scene seven minutes later, followed by five other types of machinery from surrounding stations.

                    Contrary to initial reports, the Fire and Rescue Department said the underground tunnels collision involved train number 240 and train number 181 that was plying the Kelana Jaya line.

                    It confirmed that the Gombak-bound train number 181, from KLCC with 213 passengers and moving at 40km/hour, collided with the empty train number 240 - with one driver and operator - moving at 20km/hour from the opposite direction on the same track.

                    "The (malfunctioning) train number 240 was being test-driven manually, where it was not coordinated by the command control centre," the department said.

                    Aftermath photos from the scene showed bleeding passengers and bloodstained LRT cabins, believed to be from the impact of the collision.

                    The preliminary report stated that 166 people sustained light injuries while 47 others were more seriously hurt.

                    The Fire and Rescue Department said challenges faced during the rescue operations include moving those injured from the LRT through an emergency route of less than 1m wide, about 150m to the nearest platform terminal.

                    Live broadcasts by 8TV and Bernama TV from the scene last night showed the injured people being carried out of the Avenue K shopping mall onto waiting ambulances and Civil Defence Department vehicles.

                    The KLCC station has an exit at the mall.

                    https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/576021

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                    • #40
                      Thailand - Experts evaluate Airport Rail Link system before handover on Oct 25


                      Another 1.7 billion baht has been injected in the Airport Rail Link project and foreign experts sent to inspect the rail system as well as the readiness of stations before the system goes into operation on October 25.

                      The Eastern High-Speed Rail Linking Three Airports Co Ltd said it hopes to elevate the rail link into a mass transit system that encompasses travel routes between Bangkok and its suburbs. The high-speed rail project will also link the three main airports in Greater Bangkok, namely Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi and U-Tapao, from 2026.

                      Supachai Chearavanont, chief executive officer of Charoen Pokphand Group and chair of the Eastern High-Speed Rail Linking Three Airports Co’s executive board, said the company was ready to ensure a smooth transition from the State Railway of Thailand as per contract. He said the system has been progressing according to plan and set timeline.

                      Foreign and local experts are also conducting detailed site visits and collecting opinions about the rail link’s development and improvements to ensure seamless service upon handover.

                      “This project is the nation’s hope in reviving the economy, thus the company has been working to provide passengers a better travel experience once we take over operations.

                      “This has to be excellent from the first step with readiness in all aspects,” Supachai said.

                      Sarit Jinnasith, president of Eastern High-Speed Rail Linking Three Airports Co Ltd, said that though his company will receive management rights from October 25, it has found the need to invest more in operations and station improvements to ensure the provision of seamless service.

                      “The company prioritises preparations for the handover, thus when foreign experts recommended an improvement in the system and stations, the company decided to pour an additional 1.7 billion baht before the official handover,” he said.

                      Apart from improving the operation before the handover, the company is also planning further development and improvements in other aspects to boost safety and security, as well as enhance the level of service.: https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40001319

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                      • #41
                        Thailand - High-speed rail hits bump in Ayutthaya

                        The Transport Ministry wants to expedite the high-speed rail project from Bangkok to Nong Khai and is trying to overcome an issue over the construction of a new train station in Ayutthaya.

                        Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob on Friday chaired a meeting of a committee managing the development of the Thai-Sino rail project.

                        The meeting agreed to ensure that the construction of the train station in Ayutthaya proceeded in line with recommendations from the National Committee on the World Heritage Convention.

                        It also approved the establishment of three subcommittees: one to accelerate the implementation of the high-speed rail project, another to develop cross-border connectivity and rail transport from Nong Khai to Vientiane in Laos, and a third to improve other transport systems to support the high-speed project.

                        The National Committee on the World Heritage Convention last December ordered the State Railway of Thailand to ease the impact of the project on historical sites in Ayutthaya while ensuring it remained easy for passengers to use.

                        According to the Fine Arts Department, an inter-agency working team will be formed to design the new Ayutthaya train station so it reflects the historical value of the one it replaces.

                        Pratheep Pengtako, the department's director-general, said that although the existing station was not part of Ayutthaya's inner historical precinct declared as a Unesco World Heritage Site, it held deep historical significance, having been built during the reign of King Rama V when railways were first introduced to the country. Planners say the high-speed rail link from Bangkok to Nong Khai via Nakhon Ratchasima requires a new station to be built in Ayutthaya to meet commercial development needs.

                        Mr Pratheep said the primary concern was that if the new train station was built in a way that did not reflect the design of the present one, it might compromise cultural integrity and adversely affect the city's World Heritage status.

                        He said Unesco had written to his department expressing concern about the station and asked that measures be devised to cushion the impact of high-speed rail on the World Heritage Site.

                        The 253-kilometre first phase of the project from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima, which is estimated to cost 179.41 billion baht, is progressing well, said deputy government spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul. It will have six stations: Bangkok (Bang Sue), Don Muang, Ayutthaya, Saraburi, Pak Chong and Nakhon Ratchasima.: https://www.bangkokpost.com/business...p-in-ayutthaya


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                        • #42
                          BMA to hire new adviser tor 19km MRT PPP project

                          The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) plans to hire an adviser by June this year to study the Public-Private Partnership project for the first phase of the 19-kilometre MRT Grey Line from Watcharapol to Thong Lor.

                          The move is a result of the adviser's document details submitted so far not meeting the authority's conditions.

                          The BMA said it would allow private agencies to participate in the bidding for the estimated THB30 billion PPP project between 2022 and 2023, expecting to find the contractor by 2024.

                          The BMA added that the construction of a monorail would take three years.

                          "Regarding Environmental Impact Assessment, the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning has not replied to our proposal yet, but we believe that it would be okay," the BMA said.

                          "We will conduct land expropriation assessment together with public hearing, which will take about 200 days."

                          Construction of the MRT Grey Line is divided into three phases:

                          The first phase (Watcharapol to Thong Lor) links MRT Watcharapol station (Pink Line), Lat Phrao 83 Station (Yellow Line), Wat Phra Ram 9 station (Orange Line) and BTS Sukhumvit line.

                          The second phase (Phra Khanong to Lumpini) links BTS Phra Khanong station, MRT Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, Khlong Toei and Lumpini stations.

                          The third phase (Lumpini to Tha Phra) links BTS Chong Nonsi station and BRT Sathorn to Ratchaphruek.: https://www.nationthailand.com/business/40001472



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                          • #43
                            The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has extended the suspension of 121 long and short train services until the Covid-19 situation is resolved, SRT Governor Nirut Maneephan said on Monday.

                            He said the decision was in line with the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration's move to ask people to avoid or delay their travel plans and extend the state of emergency for another two months from June 1 to July 31 in a bid to contain the virus.

                            "However, 115 long and short train services are still available to meet people's demand for travel," he said.

                            "To gain confidence among passengers throughout the journey, SRT has implemented measures to contain the spread of Covid-19 as well.": https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40001542

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                            • #44
                              SRT marks longest tunnel breakthrough

                              A tunnel boring machine working on the country's longest rail tunnel at Ban Hin Lab, in Saraburi's Muak Lek district, has reported its first breakthrough, the State Railway of Thailand said.

                              The breakthrough meant the 5.2-kilometre section officially became the country's longest tunnel, comfortably beating the 1.3-km Khun Tan tunnel -- part of the Northern rail route located on the border of Lampang and Lamphun.

                              The Ban Hin Lab is the first out of four tunnels which will form the dual-track rail route between Saraburi and Nakhon Ratchasima, also known as Korat. It begins on the 136-km mark in the Map Kabao-Jira Junction section of the Northeastern line.

                              SRT governor, Nirut Maneephan, said the breakthrough marked a milestone for the dual-track project carried out by Italian-Thai Development Plc and the Rail Tunnelling Co, which is a prominent feature in the rail transport infrastructure development plan for 2015-2022.

                              Upon completion, the dual-track upgrade would bring the Northeast closer to the rest of the country as more trains, including high-speed services, will be able to run more frequently and carry more passengers and freight to the upper Northeast.

                              While three more tunnels will be constructed along the main Northeast line, four new tunnels will be built on the Den Chai-Chiang Rai-Chiang Kong branch line.

                              The branch route spanning 323km will go through Phrae, Phayao, Lampang and Chiang Rai, where it will run to the 2nd Chiang Saen port, before terminating at the border bridge which crosses to Laos.

                              The four tunnels on the Den Chai-Chiang Khong route comprise two to be built in Phrae with a combined length of 7.5-km, a third near the Phayao University and a fourth at Doi Luang in Chiang Rai.

                              In April, the SRT announced it expected to name the contractors for the Den Chai-Chiang Khong and the 355-km section between Ban Phai and Nakhon Phanom in the northeast route next month. Electronic bidding will be held to select the contractors to work on the sections.

                              Six companies or consortiums are expected to take part in the e-bidding, said Suranadet Thupawirot, the SRT's chief engineer for constructions and special projects.

                              The Den Chai-Chiang Khong project is valued at 72.9 billion baht, while the Ban Phai-Nakhon Phanom is worth 55.4 billion baht, he said. The Den Chai-Chiang Khong project is further broken down into three construction contracts.: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand...l-breakthrough

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                              • #45
                                BTS passengers can pay fares with state subsidies

                                Commuters on BTS electric trains can use government subsidies to pay fares.

                                Surapong Laoha-Unya, chief executive officer of Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc, said on Thursday that beneficiaries of the Khon La Khrueng co-payment scheme and holders of government welfare cards could spend respective government subsidies on the company's sky train fares from Thursday onwards.

                                The spending is allowed on BTS and Gold Line trains from July 1 to Dec 31. Commuters must spend the subsidies through Single Journey Cards.: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand...tate-subsidies

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