InfoQuest (July 19, 2019) - Mr. Saksayam Chidchob, minister of the Ministry of Transport revealed that a meeting with the participation of heads in the ministry will be held on 30 July, when the agencies under the ministry were debriefed on the tasks. However, as each agency prepares a lot to report, the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and planning (OTP) is commissioned to collect the progress information of their current tasks. And it will take a month to assess the information collected. Relevant work and deliberations will proceed with due care in accordance with the law.
Regarding investment projects, the minister said the top priority into consider is the necessity, for example, whether the projects under way can be proceeded as planned. Because some agencies still fail to allocate funds in accordance with the targets set by the prime minister. Taking projects postponed by land expropriation or land occupation by other agencies. The BangYai-Kanchanaburi Motorway just encountered the problem of land expropriation in construction. The Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) has reported the issue to the Cabinet, but deliberation has yet to be proceeded. If no problems are found after the information has been checked, the project should be carried forward because the longer it is suspended, the higher the cost of land acquisition.
With regard to the proposal to prolong the expressway franchise, the EXAT is collecting information to report to the Ministry of Transport. And then the ministry will review the report and put forward the best feasible solution. In addition, the parliament has set up special committee to take charge of the affair to prolong the franchise for the Bangkok Expressway and Metro Public Company Limited (BEM). The special committee will implement feasibility research to see whether the TOR is in line with the research result, whether the agreement draft is in line with the TOR, and whether all matter is conducted in accordance with the contracts. In order to avoid unnecessary compensations, all matter should be carried forward according to the law.
"The Ministry of Transport should figure out all information before the special committee, as the organization structure of the committee is enormous", said Mr. Saksayam.
The policy to legalize Grab in Thailand proposed by the party and the government is among the priority for the Ministry of Transport to accelerate. Preliminary conclusion must be drawn within one month, for it will then be submitted for deliberation by the Office of the Council of State and the Cabinet. Earlier the Department of Land Transport has conducted preliminary study on issues, such as the revise of the Ministry of Transport regulation to allow Grab to apply for legal registration and the move to strengthen management to ensure users' safety. However, this matter still needs further discussions and suggestions from taxi operators.
Source: InfoQuest, by Korka/ Saowalak / Rachada, translated by Xinhua Silk Road
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