The government will speed up public-private partnership (PPP) procedures for six transport projects worth about 600 billion baht, mostly railways in Bangkok and other provinces.
Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak said the government's PPP committee he chaired resolved on Wednesday to include the six projects in its PPP Fast Track scheme, shortening the approval processes for private participation from the usual 20 months to nine months.
They included the Purple Line's 131 billion baht extension from Tao Poon to Kanchanaphisek ring road, and the 195 billion baht east-west Orange Line in Bangkok.
Others were a 39.4 billion baht electric railway in Phuket, the 80 billion baht Nakhon Pathom-Cha-am intercity motorway, the 152 billion baht Bangkok-Rayong high-speed railway, and an electric railway in Chiang Mai province.
The cost of the Chiang Mai railway had yet to be estimated, Mr Somkid said.
The acceleration was aimed at boosting the confidence of the private sector, he said.
Ekniti Nitithanprapas, director-general of the State Enterprise Policy Office (Sepo), said his office planned to amend the PPP law to promote investment in infrastructure, rather than focusing on procedures and regulations. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered the change, he said.
He expected Sepo to propose the amendment to the cabinet during the second quarter this year.