Upbeat on mass transit

Highways Department directorgeneral Suphoth Sublom, who also serves as board chairman of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), yesterday said spending on masstransit development would boost economic growth.

He added that regarding progress on the Purple Line project, the MRTA board had already examined the third contract for the technicalbidding documents, related to construction of a maintenance centre and trainparking depots.

The board has forwarded the documents to the Japan International Cooperation Agency, whose approval is expected about the middle of next month, the same time the MRTA is expected to open the pricebidding documents for the project.

For the Red Line, the State Railway of Thailand has already granted a Bt8.78billion construction contract to a consortium consisting of Unique Engineering and Construction and Chunwo Construction and Engineering.