Thai Cabinet nods for Bt40b road construction

BANGKOK, March 3 (TNA) - The Thai Cabinet has approved plans on new road construction nationwide, totally worth about 40 billion baht, as proposed by the Ministry of Transport. Transport Minister Air Chief Marshal Prajin Juntong told reporters on Tuesday that, the Cabinet, at its weekly meeting earlier in the day, gave the green light for his ministry's 800 small road construction projects, proposed by the Department of Highways under a budget of 25 billion baht. Air Chief Marshal Prajin said the Cabinet also approved his ministry's another 1,300 upcountry road construction projects, proposed by the Department of Rural Roads under a budget of 15 billion. According to the transport minister, all the newly-approved road projects will link agricultural areas, tourist destinations and special border economic zones, which will also help promote economic connectivity in the region. The transport minister stated that his ministry will speed up concluding procurement contracts for the new road construction by the end of this month, while the Ministry of Finance will help seek soft loans from overseas sources to fund the projects. (TNA)