The Central Administrative Court (CAC) has ruled in favor of Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc (BTSC) in a dispute over the cancellation of the bid for the joint investment of the section of the Orange Line train project.
According to the court ruling, the cancellation of the bid for the construction of the Orange Line train project’s section between Bang Khun Non and Min Buri is unlawful. The committee’s decision to cancel the first bidding, which was terminated before terms of reference were drafted and new bidding was called, was declared invalid by the CAC.
The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) announced the cancellation of the bid on February 3, 2021, following the committee’s decision to scrap the bid on the grounds that holding a new auction would allow the project to proceed more quickly than the current process. This prompted the BTSC to file a lawsuit with the CAC against the MRTA and the selection committee, citing changes to the terms of reference (ToR) made by the MRTA following the sale of bid envelopes.
BTSC CEO SurapongLaoha-Unya stated that he is satisfied with the court’s ruling, which will set a benchmark to ensure transparency and accountability in the handling of mega construction projects by the public sector. He stated that regardless of whether they win the bid, he wants the process to be fair, transparent, and accountable.
The BTSC CEO said the BTSC will wait to see how the situation unfolds as the second bidding is currently underway, with the new sealed bids scheduled to open on July 27th. He added that the court also pointed out that the second bidding can be canceled since the first bid still stands as a result of the recent ruling.
The MRTA has 30 days to file an appeal against the CAC’s decision. (NNT)
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