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Thailand to enlist foreign expertise to modernize country

Minister concerned by construction delays at Suvarnabhumi Airport

A life of luxury on display at Royal Garden Plaza

Thailand to enlist foreign expertise to modernize country

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said last week that foreign investors and experts were to be invited to help the country catch up with rest of the modern, globalized world.

Speaking in his weekly Saturday radio address, Thaksin said that Thailand had to attract foreign investment and technological know-how to modernize the country in key areas such as public transportation and education.

He said completed projects could be paid for with agricultural products through a system of barter or installment payments. Investment conditions would also be taken into consideration.

Thaksin said his proposals had been welcomed at the November 17-19 Asia Pacific business leaders’ meeting in the South Korean port city of Pusan. He also said Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-Ngam was assigned to draft a detailed plan on the matter.

Foreign envoys in Bangkok would be invited to a briefing at the end of the year to enable them to relay information about the proposal to their respective governments and private sectors.

Prospective foreign investors would be given up to three months to submit any investment proposal.

“With the full implementation of this plan, I believe that Thailand will enjoy strong growth in the next five years and that will bring great benefits to the generations to come,” said Thaksin. (TNA)

Minister concerned by construction delays at Suvarnabhumi Airport

Deputy Transport Minister Gen. Chainant Charoensiri expressed concern at delayed progress in the remaining construction work and equipment installation at Bangkok’s new Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

Gen. Chainant said after leading a group of journalists to inspect construction and equipment installation at the new airport that much construction is still behind schedule.

The airport’s passenger terminals and the information technology (IT) building, which will be the centre of all computerized controlled systems,namely aviation control and CTX bomb scanning system, are still unfinished, he said.

“The Bt2.25 billion (US$56 million) IT building is a core structure of the Suvarnabhumi Airport. Everything inside must be fully protected and enjoy continuous service once the airport is opened commercially by June 2006. There are still leaks in its roof and the installation of the computer systems is unlikely to be completed before March next year,” Gen. Chainant noted.

“All remaining construction work and equipment installation, especially those of the sophisticated IT building, should be completed by the end of this year to give concerned agencies and experts a six-month inspection period of the whole structure and equipment of the airport,” he added.

Gen. Chainant promised to fully exercise his mandate to push for completion of the Suvarnabhumi Airport within the timeframe set by the government so that the airport could be opened by mid-2006 as announced by the Thai government.

“The scheduled opening for commercial purposes of the airport is a government policy which must be met,” he stressed.

The minister warned that concerned parties failing to fully cooperate with the accelerated construction and equipment installation will face stern disciplinary action. (TNA)

A life of luxury on display at Royal Garden Plaza

Narisa Nitikarn

A show area has been opened at Royal Garden Plaza where potential buyers can view the attractions of the new La Royale Beach luxury condominiums, which are being built at Jomtien Beach.

Potential customers visit the La Royale Beach luxury condo booth at the Royal Garden Plaza.

The 34-story building has a mix of three and five units per floor and includes a fitness center, spa, swimming pool, and other facilities. Unit prices start at 62,000 baht/sq m and the building is reported as being 40 percent booked already. Building work began in August and is scheduled to be complete by mid 2007.

For further information visit the La Royale Beach sales center at the 1st floor of Royal Garden Plaza. Tel 0 3872 3615-6 or log on to www.thaiproperty.com