Airport Rail Link operations could continue for another year under CP Group-linked Asia Era One Co Ltd after the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) proposed extending the company’s role beyond the current arrangement. Asia Era One has yet to accept the proposal.

Airport Rail Link train at Phaya Thai Station in Bangkok
Archive photo of an Airport Rail Link train at Phaya Thai Station in Bangkok. Photo: Wikimedia Commons / file author / CC BY-SA 4.0

The company is due to submit an operating plan and proposed management terms by September 4. Further negotiations with the SRT are scheduled for September 7, with the outcome expected to go before the SRT board by September 10.

Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat said the timetable followed discussions held on August 27 between the SRT, Asia Era One and the Eastern Economic Corridor Office (EECO).

One-year proposal for Airport Rail Link operations

The current memorandum of understanding governing Airport Rail Link operations expires on September 30. The SRT has asked Asia Era One to continue running the service for another year after that date. The company has not agreed to the one-year operating proposal and will prepare its operating plan and a cost assessment before further talks.

The discussions come after CP exercised its right to terminate the public-private partnership for the high-speed railway connecting Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi and U-Tapao airports. The SRT and Asia Era One are partners in the three-airport high-speed rail project.

The negotiations are intended to determine arrangements for Airport Rail Link operations once the existing agreement ends. Officials will consider Asia Era One’s submission on September 4 before the two sides meet again three days later.

Separately, the SRT has instructed Asia Era One to pay the Airport Rail Link operating-rights fee, interest and other expenses required under the PPP agreement.

Siripong said the company’s next interest instalment is due on September 18 and asked the private partner to make the payment within the contractual deadline.

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SRT considers taking over overlapping rail work

Another issue concerns railway construction on the Bang Sue–Don Mueang section under Contract 4-1. The August 27 meeting did not cover the proposed reduction in the private partner’s work on this part of the project.

The section overlaps with both the Thai–Chinese high-speed railway and the Bang Sue–Phaya Thai missing-link project. Asia Era One has said it does not object to the SRT taking over and proceeding with the work.

Siripong said the SRT could ask Asia Era One to hand over the detailed design it has already prepared for trains operating at 250 kilometres per hour.

The company must also provide written confirmation that it does not have a detailed design for a maximum speed of 160 kilometres per hour.

According to Siripong, the structural specifications differ between the 250km/h and 160km/h versions. Previous governments had adopted a policy limiting the line to 160 kilometres per hour.

Once the SRT receives the existing 250km/h design and written confirmation concerning the 160km/h version, it can proceed with construction of the overlapping section itself.

Context

The wider three-airport high-speed rail project uses the existing Airport Rail Link infrastructure and route, with extensions from Phaya Thai to Don Mueang Airport and from Lat Krabang to U-Tapao Airport. EECO says the planned network covers 220 kilometres, includes nine high-speed rail stations and allows maximum high-speed operation of 250km/h.

EECO lists total project investment at 271.824 billion baht, comprising 159.380 billion baht from the state and 111.994 billion baht from the private sector. SRT and Asia Era One are the parties to the PPP agreement for the project.

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