The terms of reference (ToR) for the five new electric-rail routes to be extended from the Skytrain and subway should be in the same format, in order to facilitate the same standard of ticket fares, said a source at the Transport Ministry.

The source said yesterday that the Energy Policy and Planning Office (Eppo), which is the core agency responsible for arranging bidding documents and concessions on the new routes, should make the bidding documents for each new route in the same format, as well.

In particular, the documents regarding the bidding for operating concessions on the new routes should be uniform.

If any of new routes requires a joint venture between Thai owners and foreign investors, other routes should follow this format. Or, if any of routes are opened for the private sector to operate, the rest should follow the same practice, the source said.

The source added the same practice would help the regulator manage the rail transportation easily. In addition, ticket fares should be co-quoted at a fair price for passengers. 

At a joint meeting held yesterday between agencies involved with the bidding on the new five routes, the source said both the Finance Ministry and Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning were not mentioned in the scheme for uniform direction.

The source suggested that if  the government issued different ToRs for each new route, it would cause different ticket fares on each route.

"The joint-fare tickets will face difficulty," said the source, adding that this would discourage people from travelling on the electric trains, translating into a lower worth for project investment.

 Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister MR Pridiyathorn Devakula ordered the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) to accomplish its construction plan for the Purple Line's Bang Yai-Bang Sue section and the Blue line's Bang Sue-Tha Phra-Hualamphong section this year.

MRTA is now hiring consultants to prepare for documentary bidding on the new rail routes and is expected to complete the task this month.

MRTA will then propose a plan for the bidding procedure and source of funds to seek approval from the Transport Ministry and the Cabinet, respectively.

The construction projects for the Blue and Purple lines are expected to take 46 months and 36 months, respectively. According to the scheduled plan, the Purple Line is expected to begin services in January 2011 and the Blue Line in August 2012.

Watcharapong Thongrung

The Nation