With respect to longer term growth, we delighted to inform that on 28 March 2016, the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) signed an MoU to transfer responsibility for the Green Line North and Southern extensions to the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority (BMA) in accordance with the Governments “single regulator, single operator” policy which aims to be in the best interest of the public. As such, we are poised to be awarded new operating contracts for these 12.8km of Green Line extensions in mid-2016, the first of which is due to be partially operating in March 2017. Following to this, on 23 May 2016, we’ve signed contracts with suppliers: Siemens and CRRC, to procure 46 additional 4-car trains which will be used to accommodate the increase in ridership on the existing network and the green line extensions mentioned above.
The government has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding Bangkok’s rail network. During the year it has expedited the process to approve concessions under public private partnerships. The Pink – Khae Rai to Min Buri (36.0km, 30 stations) and Yellow – Lad Prao to Sam Rong (30.4km, 23 stations) lines are the first to be expected to be awarded under the new approval framework. We expect the first of these to be awarded by [2017]. The government has further authorised the BMA to proceed on other feeder systems: The Green Line West – Bang Wa to Borommaratchachonnani (7.0km, 6 stations), which is expected to start operating in 2019, with awarding of the O&M contract due in 2017; The bidding for Grey Line - Watcharaphol to Thong lo (phase I, 16.3km, 15 stations) is expected to be in 2017 and targeted for operation in 2019; The Light Rail Transit (LRT) - Bang Na to Suvarnabhumi Airport (18.3km, 14 stations) is expected to be tendered within 2017 and opened for full service by 2018.