BTS to seal deal soon for 12 Skytrain carriages
Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS) will sign a contract to purchase 12 additional train carriages this month, to serve both the current Skytrain network and the 2.2-kilometre extended route from Taksin Station to Taksin Road.
At present, the Skytrain is running at full capacity, with 450,000 passengers a day. The terms of reference for the purchase were drafted after the Central Bankruptcy Court approved the company's rehabilitation plan. BTS CEO Keeree Kanjanapas said Siemens and manufacturers in China and Japan had submitted their proposals. Keeree said the three manufacturers had similar standards of quality but that the Chinese firms had an equally high standard of technology and a lot of experience in the electric-train industry. "Many companies in China are joint ventures with well-known German firms, plus they offer the lowest prices, about half the price quoted by Siemens," he said. Keeree said BTS's criteria were price, quality and after-sales service, and thus it was possible his company would spend less than the allocated budget of US$90 million (Bt3.23 billion). Following the awarding of the contract, the 12 carriages will be integrated into the system within two years. Aside from increasing business in Thailand, BTS is also looking to expand abroad. "BTS has a great track record on a par with other train operators the world over. Currently, we are negotiating to run electric-train services in a number of countries in Southeast Asia," Keeree said. BTS will seek a stock market listing to finance the expansion.
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