Two private consortiums on Wednesday submitted bids to construct the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand's planned coal-fired power plant in Krabi province.
Bidding was held from 8-10am at the Egat head office in Nonthaburi's Bang Kruay district. Two groups of companies submitted offers.
One was a consortium comprising Italian-Thai Development Plc and Power Construction Corp of China. The second was a joint venture between Alstom (Thailand) and Marubeni of Japan.
The bidding, witnessed by about 100 observers, went without disruption, despite earlier reports that a group of protesters would show up to submit a letter of objection to the Egat governor.
Egat deputy governor Rattanachai Namwong said the utility would first consider the technical aspects of the bids, followed by financials. The project's median price is 49 billion baht.
Mr Rattachai said he expected the winning bidder would be announced in about four months. When construction would begin depends on approval of the environmental and health-impact assessment reports.
Akrapong Suwanthok of Italian-Thai Development said he was confident his consortium, which employs technology to eradicate toxic pollutants, would win the bidding.
Asked about public opposition to the project, Mr Akrapong said the matter was for the government and the people to settle.
