BTSC open to new Orange Line bid
published : 6 Feb 2021 at 09:00
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Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTSC) is not ruling out taking part in a new bidding process for the western section of the Orange Line electric train project.
BTSC chief executive Surapong Laoha-Unya said the company was waiting for a formal announcement by the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), which decided to scrap the current process on Wednesday.
Mr Surapong said BTSC would take part in a renewed selection process if its terms of reference were open and fair.
He added, however, that the company s legal team was also assessing whether any financial damage had been caused by the MRTA s scrapping of the bidding and would consider suing the authority if it found that losses had been incurred.
MRTA scraps Orange Line bidding
Legal dispute ties up western section
published : 4 Feb 2021 at 04:00
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Bidding for the construction of the western section of the MRT s Orange Line, which will run from the Thailand Cultural Centre to Bang Khun Non, has been cancelled following a legal dispute.
The decision was taken yesterday by the contractor selection committee of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA), the project owner.
The MRTA said it had indefinitely postponed the process to pick a contractor because the dispute on the bidding criteria was still far from resolved.
The western section of the Orange Line was designed to run underground for 13.4 kilometres to link the centre of Bangkok to the capital s western suburbs.
Skytrain operator Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTSC) on Monday (Feb 1) handed an ultimatum to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA): Pay its Bt30 billion (S$1.3 billion)-plus debt within 60 days or face suspension of Green Line services. The debt includes over Bt9.6 billion in wages for operating the Green Line extension since 2018 and purchase of a train operating system.
Yellow Line extension passes EIA report hurdle
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published : 27 Jan 2021 at 06:11
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The proposed extension of the MRT Yellow Line between Ratchadaphisek and Ratchayothin intersections has passed its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said the project s EIA report was approved by the National Environmental Board (NEB) on Tuesday.
The extension is expected to benefit commuters by providing a connection from the Yellow Line which will link Lat Phrao in Bangkok and Samrong in Samut Prakan to the city s other electric train lines, namely the Blue and Green lines, the Airport Rail Link, as well as the Orange Line, which is currently under construction.
BMA s Green Line fares are unforgivable
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The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration s (BMA) plan to raise the Green Line s fare ceiling to the absolute maximum, at over 100 baht, from the original 65 baht, has triggered an avalanche of criticism.
Not only do city commuters feel betrayed, but such a high fare structure also makes many Bangkokians feel like they are being held hostage.
We feel betrayed because, for years, the BMA had promised to cap the one-way fare to be under 65 baht in exchange for concession extensions, up until last week when the agency allowed the operator to charge the maximum of 158 baht, with the latter saying it was happy with 104 baht, omitting the base fare.