BANGKOK, 14 Feb 2015, France has expressed interest in investing in Thailand’s dual track railway projects. The revelation was made yesterday during a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister M.R. Prediyathon Tevakul and the French Ambassador to Thailand Thierry Viteau.
Deputy Prime Minister Prediyathon however told the Ambassador that Thailand has to give priority to China and Japan, as the two nations had discussed their involvement from the project’s inception. He thus urged the French Government to instead join the bidding for the contract to operate the electric trains. M.R. Prediyathon said there would be several such contracts offered at auction later this year.
The French Ambassador also confirmed that France’s Total S.A. would join the bidding for the 21st petroleum concession, bringing to thirteen the number of companies in this auction. The total number will be revealed on February 18th, the final day for applying for the concession auction. The Deputy Prime Minister said Total S.A. had earlier joined petroleum concession bidding but did not reach any deal.
To allay concerns by several parties regarding the possible embrace of nuclear power by Thailand, M.R. Prediyathon firmly told the media that he has made it clear to the French Government that the Kingdom does not have an interest in establishing a nuclear power plant, citing the lessons learned from Japan’s disasters.
France is one of a few nations with expertise in nuclear energy. It hosts the biggest number of nuclear power plants in the world.
