State Railway of Thailand approves 181-day extension for construction of Muak Lek-Lam Takhong tunnel section of Bangkok-Nong Khai high-speed rail project
Tunnel work on Sino-Thai rail project delayed
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) board has approved an 181-day extension of the civil engineering contract for the construction of the Muak Lek-Lam Takhong tunnel under the Sino-Thai high-speed rail project.
The extension moves the contract’s completion date from June 7 to Dec 5, and the contractor is not entitled to additional compensation, according to the SRT.
The tunnel is part of the Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima section of the Bangkok-Nong Khai high-speed rail project, a collaboration between the Thai and Chinese governments that is about five years behind schedule.
Valued at 4.28 billion baht, the tunnel project covers a 12.3-kilometre section comprising 8km of the tunnel itself, 3.3km of the ground-level rail embankment and 1km of an elevated section. The construction began on April 19, 2021, and is currently 91% complete.
The extension stemmed from the SRT not being able to promptly deliver the land for two specific construction segments: the railway embankment between kilometre markers 134.7 and 135.4 and the Phasadet 3 bridge, due to a delay in land expropriation. However, 100% of the land has now been expropriated and handed over, and construction has resumed in line with the new schedule.
In addition, the SRT board has approved the submission of a draft royal decree to determine the land expropriation zones for the project’s second section, which will run from Nakhon Ratchasima to Nong Khai. The transport minister will present it to the cabinet for approval.
The construction of the second section requires the expropriation of 1,991 land plots, totalling approximately 1,345 rai, and 1,428 structures across Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani and Nong Khai provinces, with a total budget of nearly 12.42 billion baht.
The section was approved by the National Environment Board on Nov 15 last year and by the cabinet on Feb 4. It is now in the bidding preparation stage.
Source: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/3027502/tunnel-work-on-sino-thai-rail-project-delayed
