From The Nation

The chief of the Eastern Economic Corridor Office on Thursday said that the construction of a high-speed railway linking three airports will be a year behind schedule.

EEC chief Jula Sukmanop said Asia Era One Co Ltd, the concessionaire of the Don Mueang-Suvarnabhumi-U-Tapao high-speed railway, could not begin construction this year as it was still awaiting an approval of investment privileges from the Board of Investment.

Jula said the construction would take four years and if it started next year, the high-speed railway would begin operations in 2028, a year behind schedule.

Jula said Asia Era One blamed the delay on government agencies for failing to facilitate construction. The company has called on the government to amend the 50-year public-private partnership contract to minimise delays.

The proposal has met strong opposition from the Pheu Thai, which says such a contract amendment must wait to be approved by the next elected government.

 

5 minutes ago, reader said:

Jula said Asia Era One blamed the delay on government agencies for failing to facilitate construction. The company has called on the government to amend the 50-year public-private partnership contract to minimise delays.

Now why I wonder do I smell the stink of corruption here? Insufficient brown envelopes - the fat, bulging ones - have no doubt not been handed around to the right people. That's the reason we have so many concessionaires on the Bnagkok tollways. Every top politician wanted a large piece of the profits - er, the pie!