Consortiums bid for airport

Consortiums bid for airport

BANGKOK (AFP): Four international consortiums have submitted bids for the passenger terminal at Bangkok's planned new international airport, officials said Wednesday.

Multinational consortiums Italian-Thai Development-Takenaka- Obayashi, Taisei-Mitsubishi Construction Japan, Shimizu- Vichitbhan-Nishimatsu-Prayoonvisava-Krungthon, and Ch Karnchang- Kajima-Kumagai Gumi-Bilfinger submitted bids, they said.

The winning bidder will be announced on September 23, unless all the bids are too high, the officials said.

The terminal blueprint was designed by US-based firm Murphy Jahn/TAMS/ACT, and experts expect construction will cost about 43 billion baht (US$1 billion).

The new airport, to be located southeast of Bangkok, is expected to handle 30 million passengers annually and 1.5 million tons of cargo.