Dialogue Meeting With Deputy Minister of Transport, H.E. Dr. Pichit Akrathit
On 2 March 2017, an EABC delegation, led by President Rolf-Dieter Daniel and EABC Board and Chair of Rail and Road Infrastructure Working Group, Mr. Georg Wolff, had a dialogue meeting with Deputy Minister of Transport H.E. Dr. Pichit Akrathit to discuss about railway infrastructure and construction projects along EEC. The EABC delegation consisted of Mr. John Quarmby, EABC Chairman of Transport and Logistics, Mr. Thomasz Mazur, EABC Vice Chair of Rail and Road Infrastructure / representative of Siemens, Mr. Chaladbhum Temkasem, EABC Policy Manager, and members of the EABC Rail and Road Infrastructure Working Group, Mr. Clement Bourdis / Bombardier / EABC Silver Partner, Mr. Parkpoom Thuaycharoen / Umi Asia, Mr. Thawin Nawalertpanya / Vossloh, and Dr. Duangkamol Kamolyabutra / TUV-SUD. The Deputy Minister discussed the concerns of quality and long term benefits of the new rail projects may not be accounted in the current procurement system. The Ministry will address this issues and ensure that the procurement committee for transportation projects in particular for railways should not only consider the price. Important considerations should include long-term benefits such as quality, life cycle costs, maintenance costs, upgradability over replacement, interoperability with other systems without serious adaptation costs, long-term security and safety, and economical advantage such as possibility of setting up rail industry in Thailand and knowledge transfer to the Thai people. The dialogue also covered separation of tender for maintenance and initial leasing costs to lower risks and lower interest expenses for the locomotive procurement, benefits of purchasing over leasing, and advantages of operating the system under international standard, RAMS. The Deputy-Minister praised the EABC for its excellent recommendations and benefits for Thailand to adopt the European railway system to avoid trials and errors that European countries had experienced before. Details of the presentation can be downloaded here: Download.
