Transport Minister Prajin Juntong expects to call for tenders to build two monorail lines, in northern and eastern Bangkok, in the second quarter of 2016.
Prajin: Govt, private sector to share risks
Transport authorities and the Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA) have agreed to build the Yellow Line and Pink Line as private-public partnerships, ACM Prajin said.
He said this would allow the government and the private sector to share the risks of the project.
The Yellow Line is planned to stretch 29.1 kilometres from the Lat Phrao area in Bangkok southeastwards to the Sam Rong area in Samut Prakan province.
The Pink Line will run 34.5km from the Kae Rai area in Nonthaburi province to Bangkok's northeastern district of Min Buri.
ACM Prajin said the government would pay for land expropriation and the private sector would invest in construction, trains, operations and maintenance of the rail services.
Each line will have a single contract for the private sector's participation.
The MRTA plans to study details of the private-public investment project and prepare bidding terms, and the two monorail projects would then be proposed to the cabinet.
If approved, tenders could be called in the second quarter of next year, the transport minister said.
Regarding the westwards Orange Line, 17.5km from the Thailand Cultural Centre to the Taling Chan area, ACM Prajin said the MRTA, soldiers and police would talk to residents in Huai Khwang district about how the proposal stands to affect them this week.