The Central Administrative Court reversed a previous order on Monday (September 18th) that had directed the Ministry of Transport and the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) to pay 24 billion baht in damages to Hopewell Company Limited. The court cited the “statute of limitations” as the legal basis for the reversal.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Pirapan Salirathavibhaga announced Thailand’s “victory” in the Hopewell case on Facebook. The initial lawsuit had demanded 56 billion baht from the Ministry of Transport and SRT for contract cancellation with Hopewell Holdings.
The new decision follows directives for case reconsideration from the Supreme Administrative Court, issued on March 4th, 2022.
Initiated in 1990 to alleviate traffic congestion through elevated railways, the Hopewell Project faced numerous setbacks including construction delays, a change in political landscape, and legal disputes. The project, won by Hong Kong-based Hopewell Company Limited, was eventually canceled in 1998, sparking a long legal battle over compensation. (NNT)
