Flood prevention bidding contests start

BANGKOK, July 9 (TNA) - Potential international bidders are receiving documents containing terms for bidding contests to select contractors for the construction of Thailand's long-term flood prevention facilities worth some 300 billion baht. Thai Science and Technology Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi, in his capacity as head of the government’s water and flood management committee said that the distribution of the documents started Monday and Thai and foreign potential bidders were receiving the documents and would later tender their bids for the construction of the Thai long-term water management and flood prevention facilities. Plodprasop told reporters that he expected bidders from 26 countries, including Thailand's Ch Karnchang Public Company Limited and Japan International Cooperation Agency or JICA, and that bids can be filed within July 23, 2012 and the government will, in the meantime, explain details of its water management and flood prevention projects. According to the minister, the projects include eight in the Chao Phraya river basin, six in the Thai Northeast, and 15 others along coastal areas, namely the Kaeng Sua Ten Dam, the Mae Wong Dam and development plans for Mekong, Chi and Moon river basins, with the construction to begin within three months after contractors are selected. The minister acknowledged that the implementation of the government's short-term flood prevention projects worth 50 billion baht has now been 80-90 per cent completed, including the dredging of canals, the construction of embankments, the maintenance of sluice gates and the elevation of roads, with a combined distance of 500 kilometers, in Bangkok and nearby provinces to prevent floods. (TNA)