State Railway Thailand unveils lowest signalling gear bids for 1st phase double-track rail upgrade project
21 August 2019
Investors from China, Canada and South Korea have submitted the lowest bids for contracts to supply signalling and communications equipment for the first phase of the double-track rail upgrade project, worth 11.4 billion baht, according to the State Railway of Thailand (SRT).
SRT deputy governor Sujit Chaosirikul said that for the signalling and equipment contract for the 169-km southern route from Nakhon Pathom to Chumphon, the Chinese consortium made up of CRSC Research & Design Institute Group Co Ltd and CRSC International Co Ltd made the lowest bid.
The group’s bid was worth 6.21 billion baht or 0.52% lower than the median price. It beat its competitor, the consortium comprising Italian-Thai Development Plc (ITD) and South Korea’s LSIS, which submitted a 6.24 billion-baht bid.
For the northern route between Lop Buri and Pak Nam Pho in Nakhon Sawan, the equipment contract is likely to be awarded to BT-UN joint venture between Canada’s Bombardier and Thailand’s Unique Engineering and Construction Plc. The group offered the lowest bid of 2.77 billion baht, or 0.36% lower than the median price. Its bid was eight million baht below what its rival, the joint venture between (ITD) and LSIS, proposed.
However, ITD and LSIS were likely to clinch the signalling and equipment contract for the 132-km northeastern section Map Kabao in Saraburi to Chira Railway Junction in Khon Kaen.
The group offered the lowest bid at 2.44 billion baht, which was 0.51% below the median price. It out-bid Casco Signal Ltd and CRSC International Co Ltd which submitted an offer of 2.49 million baht. Casco, a joint venture of China Railway Signal and Communication Corp, or CRSC, and France’s Alstom SA, was set up in the mid-1980s and is a major supplier of signal systems and other electronic equipment for China’s railways and subway systems.
Mr Sujit said the contracts are expected to be signed in October.
Before that, the SRT will try bargain down the offers further next week before forwarding the names of the contract winners to the bidder selection committee for approval on Friday.
Source: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1733775/srt-unveils-lowest-sign
