(10/03/2013)
 Prime
Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said that the Government was ready to
listen to public opinion about its planned two-trillion-baht investment
in infrastructure mega-projects, to be carried out until 2020.Speaking in the weekly program “The Yingluck Government Meets the People” on 9 March 2013, the Prime Minister urged the people to visit the “Thailand 2020” Exposition, featuring the future of Thailand, with the huge investment plan over the next seven years. The exposition is being held at the Government Complex on Chaeng Watthana Road in Bangkok from 8 to 16 March 2013. Apart from creating better understanding about the plan, involving mainly transport networks, the exposition also aims to create confidence among foreign investors. Prime Minister Yingluck said that the two-trillion-baht infrastructure mega-projects would link with other ASEAN countries. The European Union is interested in joining the investment projects and expanding cooperation between ASEAN and European regions. She believed that huge infrastructure investment, which received a very positive response from the European Union, would contribute to Thailand’s economic growth and cut production costs in the long run. Meanwhile, Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt stated that the Government would propose a draft bill empowering the Ministry of Finance to seek loans for financing the mega-projects. He explained that all regions of the country would benefit from the two-trillion-baht investment plan. The mega-projects are necessary, as the transport sector is a key factor for business operation and for enhancing the country’s competitiveness. He said that oil prices were on the rise and road transport was the largest user of oil in Thailand, while transportation costs were increasing. This was one of the reasons for the Government’s efforts to focus on the modal shift from road transport to rail transport. Moreover, ASEAN is growing and will become an important production base in the future. According to Minister Chadchart, transportation networks with other ASEAN countries will help improve Thailand’s potential and competitiveness. Thailand needs to prepare for the future, as the ASEAN population of 600 million, plus 1,400 million in China, will account for one-third of the global population. Thailand must promote infrastructure connectivity with other regions of the world, as well, and investment in the infrastructure mega-projects would provide new opportunities for the country. Minister Chadchart said that among the construction projects under the two-trillion-baht investment plan are high-speed rail lines, double-track railways, sea ports, airport expansion, and road networks. He said that the investment budget for these projects would come from domestic and foreign sources, depending on the consideration of the Ministry of Finance. Part of the budget would also come from the regular funds of related state enterprises. He added that the investment plan in infrastructure mega-projects would create job opportunities for about 500,000 people. |
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