The signing of the concession agreement for the THB 225 billion (US $6.8 billion) High-Speed Rail Project linking three major airports is expected to take place before the end of May.

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) will prepare a draft agreement for the Office of the Attorney General. The final negotiations with the bid winner will be held before May 15 and the plan will be forwarded for cabinet approval before May 28, 2019.

A consortium led by Charoen Pokphand Group (CP) submitted the lowest bid for the line linking Don Mueang airport in Bangkok with Suvarnabhumi in Samut Prakan and U-Tapao in Rayong.

CP Group consortium consists of China Railway Construction, CITIC Group, Siemens, Hyundai, Bangkok Expressway and Metro, Japan Bank for International Cooperation and Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane. It also includes Italian-Thai Development, CH Karnchang, Japan Overseas Infrastructure Investment for Transport & Urban Development, China Resources (Holdings), and CRRC-Sifang.

High-speed rail PPP project is one of the major infrastructure projects to be developed in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) investment zone. Thailand’s cabinet approved the construction of the project in March 2018. Construction is expected to be commenced in 2019, with completion scheduled for 2023.

The project will run along a 29km stretch of the existing railway route and 191km of a new high-speed rail route. The project will feature 21km extension from Airport Rail Link at Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok to Phaya Thai. As well as the construction of a 29km line of Airport Rail Link from Phaya Thai to Suvarnabhumi Airport, and a new 170km line from Suvarnabhumi Airport to U-Tapao Airport. The project also requires installation of electrical and mechanical systems (signaling, power, communications, automatic fare collection, platform door, and train and carriage electrical supply). And an operation and maintenance facility will also be built in order to carry out inspection and maintenance.