The Thai Cabinet has approved two infrastructure mega projects worth about 260 billion baht which include three new motorways and an electricity transmission line of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha said that the three motorways would bring about prosperity and investments in the rural areas without which people will have little chance of increasing their revenue. He pointed out that his government would implement projects which are regarded as top priority whereas projects which are of secondary priority would be passed on to the next government for implementation.
The three new motorways are:
Bang Yai-Kanchanaburi motorway which will cost 55.6 billion baht of which 5.4 billion baht are to be used as compensation for land expropriation and the rest, about 50 billion baht to cover construction cost.v Construction is due to commence next year and to be completed in 2019.
Pattaya-Map Tapud motorway which is estimated to cost 20 billion baht of which 14 billion baht are for construction and the rest for land expropriation. Construction is due this year and the project is expected to be completed in eight years.
Bang Pa-in-Saraburi-Nakhon Ratchasima motorway which costs about 84.6 billion baht of which 77.9 billion baht are for construction cost. Improvement of Egat’s power transmission line in the Northeast, lower North, the central region and Bangkok was estimated to cost 94 billion baht. On top of that, improvement of the transmission line in the upper North will cost another 12.2 billion baht.
