The Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) has announced that 13 companies were confirmed to have submitted their formal expression of interest in the bidding to construct the Kathu-Patong expressway in Phuket, Thailand.

Among such companies are the following:

• Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction Public Company Limited (STEC);

• China Harbor Engineering Co., Ltd.

• Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited (ITD);

• Unique Engineering and Construction Public Company Limited (UNIQ);

• Bangkok Expressway and Metro Public Company Limited (BEM);

• BTS Group Holdings Plc. (BTS);

• Nawarat Pattanakarn Public Company Limited;

• Right Tunneling Public Company Limited (RTCO);

• CH. Karnchang Public Company Limited;

• Don Muang Tollway Public Company Limited (Don Mueang Tollway);

• Egis Group (France);

• SRBG Bridge Engineering (China);

• China Railway Construction (Thailand) Co., Ltd.

To qualify, a bidder must score at least 85% on each envelope and 90% on all conditions. The first results will be on April 28, and the name of the winner is expected at the end of 2023.

The winning bidder will be allowed to collect tolls on the expressway for the next 35 years. Ownership of the expressway will be transferred to EXAT upon completion of construction, which will last no more than 4 years. About 35,000 motorcycles and 36,000 cars will pass through the expressway every day. The land expropriation cost for the project will be THB5.792 billion (US$172 million) and the cost of construction will be THB8.878 billion (US$264 million).