EEC Set to Sign with UTA for U-Tapao Airport Construction in April, Involving SRT for Tunnel Work
Source: Krungthep Turakij Online
Date: Thursday, February 27, 2025, 16:18
The Eastern Economic Corridor Office (EECO) is set to sign a contract with U-Tapao International Aviation Co., Ltd. (UTA) to commence the construction of U-Tapao Airport between April and May. Simultaneously, the office is urging the high-speed rail project to finalize new contract negotiations by April. The EECO asserts that the EEC remains competitive and continues to attract record-high foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2024.
According to Mr. Chula Sukmanop, Secretary-General of the Eastern Economic Corridor Policy Committee (EECO), discussions are underway with UTA, the private sector partner in the U-Tapao Airport and Eastern Aviation City development project within the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). The project spans over 6,500 rai (approximately 1,040 hectares) with a total infrastructure investment of over 290 billion baht. This follows UTAs recent announcement that it will not wait for the high-speed rail project connecting the three major airports.
Project Timeline and Adjustments
The U-Tapao Airport and high-speed rail projects should be able to commence within the first half of 2025. The airport development project does not require contract amendments, and management can proceed as planned. However, the private sector may scale down the project's initial phase, Mr. Chula stated.
He acknowledged the private sector's concerns, as delays in the high-speed rail project have hindered full-scale operations. Without the railway, passenger numbers may fall short of expectations. To maximize available resources, adjustments such as reducing the initial terminal size are possible. However, once passenger traffic reaches 80% of capacity, the private sector must expand its facilities accordingly.
High-Speed Rail Tunnel Considerations
Regarding the construction of the high-speed rail tunnel beneath the airports passenger terminal, private investors have urged the government to clarify its course of action in case of project delays. Currently, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is being considered to take on the tunnel construction to prevent future disruptions.
The U-Tapao Airport must include a high-speed rail station. If private sector involvement remains uncertain, SRT will construct the tunnel in advance. Otherwise, once the airport development is underway and a second runway is built, tunneling beneath it will no longer be feasible. This matter requires further discussions, but the key stakeholders, including the government and SRT, have already addressed the issue, Mr. Chula explained.
Investment Incentives and Further Negotiations
As UTA proceeds without waiting for the high-speed rail, discussions will be necessary to determine whether additional investment incentives will be provided. Mr. Chula confirmed that such negotiations would be required if the private sector requests more benefits. However, U-Tapao Airport remains open to various business opportunities, and interested investors can directly apply for incentives through the EEC. Although these incentives are awaiting Cabinet approval, early negotiations are possible.
High-Speed Rail Project Status
As for the high-speed rail construction, SRT is currently finalizing contract details and will submit the agreement for approval by the SRT board within the next 1-2 weeks. The contract will then undergo legal review before being presented to the Cabinet for approval. The timeline indicates that the project is expected to be finalized by April 2025.
Bid to accelerate work on key EEC facilities
Construction set to start in April or May
PUBLISHED : 28 FEB 2025 AT 05:23
WRITER: LAMONPHET APISITNIRAN
Mr Chula, left, and Mr Gamba at the MoU signing ceremony to promote investment in the EEC. Authorities are attracting more foreign investment as well as accelerating the construction of key facilities in the EEC.
Mr Chula, left, and Mr Gamba at the MoU signing ceremony to promote investment in the EEC. Authorities are attracting more foreign investment as well as accelerating the construction of key facilities in the EEC.
Authorities are speeding up the development of the much-delayed U-tapao airport and Eastern Aviation City in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), with construction set to start between April and May this year.
The project has made little progress over a period of three years, largely attributed to the impact of the pandemic.
The project was also delayed because U-tapao International Aviation Co (UTA), the project developer, insisted on waiting for clarity on another key project, a high-speed rail system linking U-tapao, Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports, meant to be developed at the same time as U-tapao.
The rail construction progressed at a snail's pace because the Charoen Pokphand Group-led consortium called on the government to revise the construction contracts after the impact of the pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.
The EEC Office is preparing to hold talks with UTA in order to kick-start infrastructure development for U-tapao airport and the Eastern Aviation City.
"We think UTA should start its work without waiting for the high-speed rail system development," said Chula Sukmanop, secretary-general of the EEC Office.
UTA may adjust its construction plan by reducing the size of the passenger terminal to serve 5-6 million people a year, down from an original carrying capacity of 10-12 million people a year.
This would not violate the contract with the EEC Office, said Mr Chula. The company is dividing its construction work into phases. If the number of air passengers increases in the future, it could expand the terminal, he said.
UTA can also build some infrastructure to prepare for linkage with the high-speed railway to be developed later, said Mr Chula.
The government wants U-tapao airport and Eastern Aviation City to be the logistics and aviation hub of the EEC, supporting both the industrial and tourism sectors. Spanning 6,500 rai of land, the project comprises key facilities, including a third passenger terminal, aircraft maintenance, a cargo village and a commercial gateway.
The project value is estimated at 290 billion baht.
Mr Chula signed a memorandum of understanding yesterday with Giorgio Gamba, chief executive and head of banking at HSBC Thailand, for cooperation to attract foreign investment to the EEC, which will be developed into the country's high-tech industrial hub.
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) Board Approves Extension for Thai-Chinese Railway Construction Contract 3-5 (Khok Kruat Nakhon Ratchasima) Due to Delays in Land Handover
Source: Manager Online
Wednesday, March 5, 2025 - 18:56
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) board has approved an extension of 350 days for the construction of Contract 3-5 of the Thai-Chinese high-speed railway project due to delays in land handover caused by tenants refusing to vacate rental buildings in the construction area.
Mr. Veerish Amrapal, Governor of the SRT, stated that during the SRT board meeting on March 5, 2025, chaired by Mr. Jiruth Wisanchit, Director-General of the Department of Land Transport, the board approved the contract extension and amendments for Contract 3-5, which involves civil works between Khok Kruat and Nakhon Ratchasima. This project is part of the Thai-Chinese government collaboration to develop a high-speed rail system linking Bangkok to Nong Khai (Phase 1: BangkokNakhon Ratchasima). The extension grants an additional 350 days from the original contract completion date of March 25, 2025, pushing the new deadline to March 10, 2026.
The extension was necessary because the SRT was unable to hand over the land to the contractor on time due to the presence of 60 rental units obstructing construction. The SRT had to take legal action against the tenants before reaching a settlement, allowing demolition and land handover. As a result, the contractor only gained access to the site on May 13, 2024.
After reviewing the reasons and explanations, the SRT board approved the request. Additionally, they required adjustments in construction coordination to align with contract conditions. The contractor will not be entitled to claim any additional costs, compensation, or benefits, and there will be no extra expenses for the construction supervision consultant (CSC) or the project management consultant (PMC). The project extension will not negatively impact other railway projects.
According to reports, the Thai-Chinese high-speed railway project (Phase 1: BangkokNakhon Ratchasima) includes Contract 3-5, covering a 12.38 km section between Khok Kruat and Nakhon Ratchasima. The contract was awarded to the SPTK Joint Venture for 7.75 billion baht. Previously, modifications were proposed for the Khok KruatPhu Khao Lat section, changing the construction design from a 4-5 meter embankment to an elevated structure covering 7.85 km. This change increased construction costs by 2.05 billion baht and extended the project timeline by 36 months. The modification is currently awaiting Cabinet approval.
As of January 2025, the civil works progress was at 12.4%, significantly behind the planned 95% completion rate. This delay is primarily due to the contractors inability to access areas requiring design modifications, accounting for approximately 55% of the delay, as the project is still awaiting Cabinet approval.
Here's a summary of the high-speed rail line construction from Ban Pho to Don Mueang:
Overall Progress: The video updates the construction of the high-speed rail line, specifically the section from Ban Pho to Don Mueang.
Contract Divisions: The construction is divided into contracts 4-3, 4-4, and 4-2.
Runway Laying: Piers for the runway are complete, and the runway laying set is being placed. By March 7th, 13 pole sections had been laid, averaging about one section per week since the beginning of January.
Key Locations and Developments:
Bang Pa-in Station: A launch set is laying the runway about 700 meters from the station.
Hi-Tech Ayutthaya Industrial Estate: Construction continues behind the estate.
Chiang Rak Noi: There's continuous progress in this area.
Contract 4-3 (Nava Nakhon-Ban Pho): As of January 25, 2025, progress was at 48.89%.
Contract 4-2 (Don Mueang-Navanakorn): As of January 25, 2025, progress was at 1.93%. Construction involves drilling and casting piles.
Don Mueang Station: The high-speed train platform will be on the 4th floor, parallel to the Red Line. The train connecting 3 airports will be on the 3rd floor.
This is an update to the footage we filmed in early February, focusing on contracts 4-5 and 4-6, which cover the Ayutthaya-Phra Kaew-Pachi-Saraburi sections.
For contract 4-5, the starting point will connect from contract 4-3 before reaching Ayutthaya Station. If traveling from Bang Sue, construction has not yet commenced, but is expected to begin soon. In this update, we will examine the route from Ayutthaya Station to the point where it intersects with contract 4-6, just before Ban Don Klang Railway Station.
We will then review contract 4-6, the Phra Kaew-Saraburi section, which spans 31.60 kilometers and is being handled by Unique Engineering Public Company Limited. This footage was recorded on March 12, 2025.
We will compare the current progress with our findings from the early February filming.
We traveled on train number 339 towards Kaeng Khoi, departing from Map Phra Chan Station, which is approximately 8 kilometers past Ayutthaya Station towards Saraburi. Approximately 1.5 kilometers further, at DK74+412.91, marks the starting point of contract 4-6, the Phra Kaew-Saraburi section. Additional piles have been driven towards this starting point.
To cross Khlong Phra Kaew, an access point has been created for excavation and pile casting, preparing for the canal crossing. This work commenced in early February.
After passing Phra Kaew Station, foundation excavation has begun, preparing for pier casting, with ongoing progress. Further work is underway to cross Road No. 33 towards Chum Phae Ban Phae.
At Chum Phae Ban Phae, continuous foundation excavation is occurring. In front of Unique's office, towards the three-way intersection, pier casting has started, and additional foundation casting is being performed after pile driving, beyond the Chiang Mai-bound railway tracks. Foundation excavation is also underway at the three-way intersection. Pier construction will proceed from the three-way intersection towards Khlong Raphiphat. Has there been significant progress since early February? We will review the previous footage.
At Khlong Raphiphat, pile driving has been ongoing for an extended period and continues. Clearing is set to begin from Nong Kwai Station towards Nong Saeng Station. The appearance of this section will be observed.
Shortly past Nong Saeng Station, beyond Road 3041, the clearing area is being accessed to construct a service road. In March, we observed the formation of a compacted, level road. It remains to be seen whether this will be a ground-level road.
This construction extends to Nong Sida Station, with some sections completed previously. Where construction is continuous, it begins at the right-hand diversion. Piles are being driven, and the area is being cleared for foundation casting, extending to Wat Thanon Lek, crossing Road No. 362. Pile driving has been ongoing since last month in the detour section leading to contract 4-7.
Approximately 1.5 kilometers of this section remained unchanged as of mid-March. However, blue flags have been observed, indicating that work will commence soon. We anticipate construction will begin shortly.
Please refer to the accompanying video for a visual update on the construction progress.
Update construction of HSR Thailand from Saraburi Station to Kaengkhoi Junction in March 2025
Iron Wheels Roaming
Mar 18, 2025
Picking up where we left off, let's take a look at contract 4-7, Saraburi-Kaeng Khoi, a 12.99 km stretch. This update is from mid-March 2025, and we're seeing a lot of progress compared to what we saw back in early February.
Starting at the current Saraburi station, the pier segment on the west side has now been cast into a box, and the molds are gone. This is a big step from early February, when they were still pouring concrete. On the east side, they've finished pouring concrete, which is different from early February when they were just putting together the steel frame.
At the new Saraburi railway station, they're busy with pile driving behind the station, setting up steel scaffolding to cast the runway on the piers, pouring concrete beams for the ticket area and waiting room, and laying spans on the piers. Plus, the balanced cantilever work to cross Highway 362, east of Saraburi, has seen the segment extended from the pier.
Over at the new Kaeng Khoi Junction, they're also making headway. They're laying footings, setting up scaffolding for the runway concrete, casting the rest of the middle and end twin piers, and building the office. The balanced cantilever pier work over the current station is moving along, and they're also casting the remaining piers at the end of contract 4-7.
A lot has happened in just one month. Check out the clip for a closer look.
Picking up where the last clip left off, we're now looking at Contract 3-1, the first part of the project, going from Kaeng Khoi to Klang Dong.
If you remember the clip from our February visit, at Kaeng Khoi Junction, you'll see that two big pile drilling teams have moved in and are helping each other out. They've been drilling since the end of February.
Behind Thap Kwang School, they've started pouring the concrete for the piers, and you can see them. Just past the entrance to Pu Tra Chang, they've poured even more piers and are getting ready to put together the runway set. We'll be watching to see where the bridge spans will go.
Over at Hin Lap (Lancher), they're putting down the spans for the second set of columns. After that, they'll keep building the piers, the road at ground level, and the bridge over the little pond, all the way to the end of the small tunnel at Hin Lap. They're still working on it, and it'll be interesting to see how they do it.
At the beginning of the bridge over the Mok Lek basin, we're still building the retaining walls from when we were here last month. And we're currently pouring the concrete for the piers heading towards the basin.
The bridge over the Mok Lek canal has its piles in place and they're ready to dig out the hole to keep pouring the foundation. We've got the steel plates ready to use as walls to hold back the soil at the opening. Then, we'll drill and pour the piles on the other side of the current train tracks.
Down at the crematorium (Wat Nam Phu) that we checked out before, and at the bridge on the Klang Dong side, they're getting ready to drill and pour the piles. These will go across, facing the balm factory. The piles there are already done. After that, they'll clear the area and level the ground to make a long path to Klang Dong Station.
High-Speed Rail Connecting 3 Airports Delayed Another 3 Months; EEC to Submit New Joint Venture Contract Draft in June
Source: Prachachat Business website
Date: Sunday, March 23, 2025, 07:47
The project is delayed by another three months. The Secretary-General of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) has unveiled a new draft of the joint venture contract and is pushing ahead with negotiations with financial institutions for loans to support the high-speed rail project connecting three airports. The EEC assures that the private concessionaire is moving forward in parallel with the aviation city. The Cabinet is expected to approve the plan by June. Meanwhile, U-Tapao Airport awaits a response from the Ministry of Finance on the approval of a duty-free zone.
Dr. Chula Sukmanop, Secretary-General of the Eastern Economic Corridor Policy Committee (EECO), told *Prachachat Business* that the amendment to the high-speed rail contract connecting the three airports (Don Mueang Suvarnabhumi U-Tapao) with the private sector is now almost 100% complete.
On Friday, March 14, 2025, the EECO held a meeting with banks to build confidence, including adjustments to the concession agreement to enable the project to proceed. The new draft includes certain relaxed terms from the original to help accelerate the implementation.
Regarding the legal process, by the end of March 2025, the revised draft will be submitted to the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) board for consideration. In April 2025, it will be sent to the Office of the Attorney General for review, and in May 2025, it will return to the EECO board.
Afterward, the draft contract will be submitted to the Cabinet for final approval. Once the agreement is signed, the EEC will notify parties to begin the project. Clarity is expected by June 2025, whereas the original timeline aimed to finalize everything by April 2025.
Dr. Chula said, If the private sector fails to proceed within the set framework, I have a Plan B ready. In the worst-case scenario, the government will invest and build the project itself. Regardless, this high-speed rail line must happen. The train speed has been set at 160 km/h theres no need to go faster.
The total distance is only 200 km, and the stations are relatively close to each other. If the train travels too fast, it would have to decelerate as it nears each station. The furthest station is only about 5060 km apart. Therefore, there's no need to increase the speed further as maintenance costs would rise. The delay in land handover has now been resolved. If the private sector is ready, the project can proceed, Dr. Chula said.
He added that for the U-Tapao Airport project, there was a recent discussion last week. U-Tapao International Aviation Co., Ltd. (UTA), the concessionaire for the airports construction, has submitted a letter to the EECO indicating it will proceed with the project without waiting for the high-speed rail.
UTA has inquired about the incentives it will receive, especially regarding the establishment of a duty-free zone, as it may need to attract other investors. The EECO can grant certain incentives, but others require new legislation from the Ministry of Finance. It is expected that this project will proceed around the same time as the high-speed rail project.
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