Bangkok: The PPP Committee has approved the B1-B2 piers at Laem Chabang Port, worth over 12.8 billion baht, to increase the competitiveness of Thai ports. Mr. Paopum Rojanasakul, Deputy Minister of Finance, chaired the 1/2568 meeting of the Public-Private Partnership Policy Committee (PPP Committee), approving the principles of the B1 and B2 pier projects of Laem Chabang Port of the Port Authority of Thailand (PAT) to merge the two piers together to support ships more efficiently and flexibly. The project is open to the private sector to invest in the PPP Net Cost model with a total project value of 12,819 million baht. The private sector is responsible for improving the buildings, investing in equipment, tools, and technology for lifting goods, and maintaining and restoring the buildings, machinery, and project management.
According to Thai News Agency, the Port Authority of Thailand will supervise and monitor the quality of the private sector’s operations and receive annual compensation in accordance with the specified conditions. The project aligns with the 13th National Economic and Social Development Plan, Goal 5, which aims to make Thailand a gateway for trade, investment, and an important logistics strategy for the region, enabling it to accommodate more containers and align with the government’s policy to push the Thai economy to grow to its full potential.
The PPP Committee also approved the adjustment of the joint investment project plan for 2020-2027 to be in line with the readiness of each project and up-to-date in the form of 139 PPP projects, with a total value of 921 billion baht.
This Joint Investment Plan will be a clear framework for the preparation of PPP projects in the country and will help create interest and attract more private investment in government projects. The Joint Investment Plan covers more social projects in fields such as public health, water management, and wastewater treatment. Additionally, the PPP Committee has expedited various joint investment projects to enable them to open for service according to the plan so that people can access public services more conveniently and quickly.