Skip to main content

Thailand rekindles interest in the motorway in Bang Pa-in

The Thai government expects to announce contractors for construction of two motorway sections this month after steel price hikes derailed a recent tender process. The sections are part of the 196km motorway connecting Bang Pa-in district in Ayutthaya with Nakhon Ratchasima in the northeast, according to a report in the Bangkok Post. The project, costing nearly US$2 billion, is divided into 40 sections, 25 of which are scheduled to be built this year. But the Highways Department has signed only one con
July 6, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
The Thai government expects to announce contractors for construction of two motorway sections this month after steel price hikes derailed a recent tender process.

The sections are part of the 196km motorway connecting Bang Pa-in district in Ayutthaya with Nakhon Ratchasima in the northeast, according to a report in the Bangkok Post.

The project, costing nearly US$2 billion, is divided into 40 sections, 25 of which are scheduled to be built this year. But the Highways Department has signed only one contractor so far, for construction of a 3.6km section in Saraburi, the Post reported. The department had to cancel the bidding on five sections because the winners -- Italian-Thai Development and Nawarat Patanakarn – raised their prices after a 40% rise in steel prices.

The Post quoted unnamed sources in the Highways Department saying discussions failed between the government and two winners to reach a new price, meaning another bidding round will be scheduled. The department is also now revising its own cost estimates for the highway construction.

Related Content

  • Award-winning road and bridge design software
    March 20, 2012
    The integration of software tools, users and data was an important factor in a major highway project The giant High Five interchange in Texas, USA, emerged as a key winner in Bentley Systems' software awards this year. It won both the Innovation in Road and Bridge category and, significantly, Connecting Project Teams. The awards, a feature of the annual exhibition/conference organised by the software house, attract increasing interest from industry, and competition has become widespread, not least bec
  • Spanish highway project to get EIB A-rated bond issue?
    April 20, 2012
    The European Investment Bank (EIB) is reported to be in talks with the sponsors of the A-66 Benavente-Zamora highway public private partnership (PPP) in Spain over a possible bond financing deal, which would see the Bank provide subordinated debt for an A-rated bond issue. The possible bond issue would be a further greenfield project to launch the European Union’s Project Bond 2020 initiative, with its initial pilot stage being managed by the EIB.
  • Dhaka Elevated Expressway section opened
    September 19, 2023
    The Italian-Thai Development Corporation entered into a US$1.062 billion contract with China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) for building the elevated expressway.
  • Boom in Asian infrastructure investment
    April 5, 2012
    Investment in China and India continues unabated, but other nations on the continent are eager to attract companies as Patrick Smith reports Asia is still booming despite the current economic crisis, and new infrastructure programmes are constantly coming on stream. Powerhouses China and India, with their double-digit growth figures and huge infrastructure plans (in scope and cost), are leading the way and are still magnets for businesses wishing to expand, both in terms of facilities and customers. But oth