Bangkok Airport Link could be privatized through a PPP
According to sources, the government of Thailand has announced that is considering the privatization of the Bangkok Airport Rail Link.
The line provides an airport rail link from Suvarnabhumi Airport, viaMakkasan, to Phaya Thai station in central Bangkok. Most of the line is on a viaduct over the main eastern railway.
The 28.6 kilometers (17.8 mi) Airport Rail Link opened for service on August 23, 2010. Services consists of two Express services, a 15-minute nonstop service between the Makkasan city air terminal and the airport and an 18-minute nonstop service between Phaya Thai and the airport.
At the end of April 2014, the Phaya Thai Express service was suspended for 12 months due to insufficient rolling stock being available.
The privatization would aim to help cut losses and improve the service.
The rail link is owned by State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and operated by SRT subsidiary's SRT Electrified Train (SRTET). Gen Thawatchai Samutsakorn, board chairman of SRTET, stated:
"The idea of supporting a private company to run the Airport Rail Link does not come from me alone. A meeting of the State Enterprises Policy Committee, chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, also came up with a proposal to ask a private company to operate the Airport Rail Link."
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