BANGKOK, June 13 — The Transport Ministry will next week propose to the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) an implementation plan on basic mega-infrastructure development projects valued at Bt3 trillion, up from the Bt2.2 trillion calculated by the previous government of Yingluck Shinawatra, overthrown May 22 in a bloodless military coup.
Permanent Secretary for Transport Somchai Siriwatanachoke said the ministry had prepared strategic plans to improve basic infrastructure programmes on transportation and they would be submitted to Air Force chief ACM Prachin Chantong, head of NCPO’s economic affairs, for his consideration during a meeting next Thursday.
Mr Somchai said most programmes remained unchanged from what the previous government had mapped out and would be implemented between 2015 and 2022.
But visible changes in the total investment rise to Bt3 trillion from the Bt2.2 trillion calculated by the former government.
Mr Somchai said the increase is due to an aerial development project which has been added in the latest programme.
However, fresh talks on where the investment money would come from will have to be discussed with the Finance Ministry and the Budget Bureau, he said, noting that the investment will be spent on five major strategic plans.
The plans involved urgent construction of five dual railway tracks and three new routes, improvement of public transportation in Bangkok and surrounding provinces, constructing roads which would link provinces and the motorways, building harbours and dykes, and expanding Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Don Mueang Airport which serves domestic airlines.
