Failed bidders to sue SRT

The construction firms that were disqualified from the bidding were CTM Joint Venture and KCT Joint Venture.

CTM Joint Venture comprises Thaiwat, More Motor and the China Railway 13th Bureau Group.

KCT Joint Venture consists of Krung Thon Engineering, China State Construction Engineering and Thai Engineering and Industry.

A source with CTM Joint Venture said that both groups received unfair treatment from the SRT, which considered them unqualified to bid for the rail project that runs from Chachoengsao to Sri Racha and Laem Chabang, both in Chon Buri district.

The rail committee decided they could not join, because both groups were 25-per-cent owned by Chinese government agencies.

The source said the groups would file lawsuits against the SRT tomorrow in a bid to put off the opening of an electronic bidding that has been scheduled for next Monday.

"It's not reasonable to consider that the groups, which are [partially] held by Chinese state-owned agencies, would engage in price collusion," said the source.

Meanwhile, a source with the SRT said that the authority would open the auction for the rail project with 78 kilometres to five groups.

The committee would then consider whether to accept the lowest proposed price by the bidder before submitting it to the SRT's board of directors for further consideration.

However, the SRT has set up a median price of Bt5.29 billion for the project.

The five construction firms that have been approved to take part in the bid are Italian-Thai Development; CKTU Joint Venture, which consists of Ch Karnchang, Tokyu Construction and Unique Engineering and Constructions; AS Associated Engineering (1964); TSC Joint Venture; and JNC Joint Venture.

Watcharapong Thongrung

 The Nation