Ms Wilairat revealed the news this morning at a meeting held at Phuket Provincial Hall, led by Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong.
The investment needed for the light-rail project now totalled B39.406 billion, Ms Wilairat said.
“This is the total construction cost to build the light rail from Tha Noon (in Phang Nga) to Chalong Circle, to develop tourism and transportation in Phuket,” she said.
Ms Wilairat explained that Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) for the project was submitted in January. (See story here.)
“The Ministry of Transport has now handed over to the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA)* the responsibility of drafting the terms for a PPP for the project.
“The MRTA will work with private investors and the Phuket Transport Committee to draft the terms in accordance with instructions given by the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (which approves EIAs),” Ms Wilairat said.
“This will take about four months. After that stage is complete, the project will be open to bids for eight months,” she added.
Regarding the Patong tunnel project, Ms Wilairat explained that the required investment now totalled B13.917bn.
“Of this, B5.686bn is dedicated to acquiring the land and B8.231bn for the construction,” she said.
The overall plans remain unchanged since 2015, with the the tunnel road comprising two lanes for cars and two lanes for motorbikes. The 900-metre ramp on the Patong side will pass over Phisit Goranee Rd to the hill, and the tunnel itself will be 1.85km long (see story here), Ms Wilairat repeated today.
The ramp on the Kathu side will be 1.23km long and join Route 4029 (Phra Baramee Rd)
“This project is now also open for private investors, a move approved in May this year,” Ms Wilairat said.
“Now we are having the terms of a PPP for this project drawn up and will presented this to the central government when it is done,’ she added.
*Correction: Not the "State Railway of Thailand" as originally reported. The error is regretted.