The Cabinet on Tuesday instructed the Transport Ministry to conduct additional review on the project to lease 4,000 buses for Bangkok commuters, tantamounting to a rejection on the ground of suspiciously high leasing cost.
In the instruction, Deputy Prime Minister Trairong Suwankhiri has been assigned to lead the project review. He will be assisted by Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij and Transport Minister Sophon Saram.
Speaking before the Cabinet meeting, Sophon said he would not back down from pushing through the project although the Cabinet might not give its approval at this juncture. He also gave his assurance that regardless of the future of the project, it would not impact on the coalition alliance.
In its project evaluation report, the National Economic and Social Development Board voiced opposition for two reasons - unrealistically high leasing cost and uncertainty that the bus lease would help to salvage the bus services which were running at the loss.