Speaking at a press conference, Transport Minister Theera Haocharoen said he expected all the ministry's plans to be concrete within the next five months.

The ministry has worked systematically and created a standard of good governance with more transparency than that of the previous government, he said.

Theera said there had been delays because of legal issues. "From now until the next election, the working process should be driven more smoothly than before," said Theera.

Planned projects include the double-track Chachoengsao-Sriracha-Laem Chabang rail route and problem resolution at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Deputy Transport Minister Sansern Wongcha-um said progress had been made with Bangkok's diesel-train project, which is part of the five mass-transit rail routes approved by the Cabinet previously. The five routes, covering 137 kilometres and requiring investment of Bt165.4 billion, are the Red Line, Blue Line, Purple Line and the Green Line's two routes.

He said the ministry had changed the project's construction method and introduced a detailed design.

Sansern said the detailed design would allow the government to invest in infrastructure and the private sector to invest in route operation, whereas the previous method required the government to invest in both.

"The new method, along with transparency in working, will help the next government to continue the rail projects easily," he said.

The Chachoengsao-Laem Chabang project's budget of Bt5.85 billion will be considered by the Cabinet today.

Watcharapong Thongrung

The Nation