New transport minister goes ahead with 17 mega-projects in Thailand

BANGKOK, August 26 (TNA) - New Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith vows to proceed with 17 mega transport projects, totally worth about 1.6 trillion baht, expressing his hope they should boost Thailand's gross domestic product (GDP) by 1 per cent next year. Arkhom, who is a former transport minister and now also Secretary-General of the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) concurrently, announced the continual policy on Wednesday, saying that five of the 17 mega-projects have already won approval from the Thai Cabinet and he will try to seek the green light from the Cabinet for the rest in the near future. Arkhom said the approved projects are four electric railways in Bangkok and its peripheral areas, including the Orange Line, the Pink Line, the Yellow Line and the Purple Line, and six double-track railways, with bidding contests for the approved projects to be organized within this year. According to the new transport minister, other projects he plans to materialize include new transport systems to promote tourism and health, namely bicycle lanes, pointing out that such projects will create economic returns. The new transport minister noted what are also in the list of new projects to be implemented include those concerning the improvement of public transport and flight services, as well as integrated ticketing that will start in 2016, the separation between transport operators and regulators, aviation standard and the rehabilitation of loss-ridden state enterprises, namely the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) and the State Railway of Thailand (SRT). (TNA)