PTT Plc, Thailand’s stater-owned oil and gas conglomerate, has formed a consortium with Gulf Energy Development Plc (Gulf), one of the leading Energy producers in Thailand, to submit bids for developing two megaprojects in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). Gulf operates independent power producers and is a major buyer of PTT’s natural gas.
PTT Tank Terminal Co and Gulf are bidding for the third phases of Laem Chabang seaport in Chon Buri province and Map Ta Phut seaport in Rayong province. The two projects are valued at an estimated THB 114 billion (USD 3.6 billion) and THB 55.4 billion (USD 1.7 billion) respectively. For the Laem Chabag seaport PTT and Gulf formed the consortium together with China Harbour Engineering Co. The Port Authority of Thailand will announce the winning bidder for the Laem Chabang port, while the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand will announced the winner for the Map Ta Phut seaport. The winning bidder for Map Tha Phut is scheduled to sign a contract on June 4.
It has been reported that the consortium led by PTT and Gulf is the only qualified for all the criteria to bid on the Map Ta Phut megaproject. Eighteen companies bought bidding envelopes for the project.
These two port projects are among 5 ongoing megaprojects in the EEC. The other 3 are: a high-speed railway linking three airports- Don Mueang airport in Bangkok with Suvarnabhumi in Samut Prakan and U-Tapao in Rayong (THB 220 billion or USD 7 billion); U-tapao aviation city (THB 290 billion or USD 9.1 billion); and a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) center (THB 10.6 billion or USD 332 million). On April 27, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) granted the concession for the high-speed rail project to a consortium led by the Charoen Pokphand Group (CP).
(Source: Bangkok Post; Infrastructure news)