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Published on January 16, 2008

MRTA director Kamropluck Suraswadi said yesterday that from the agency's study, if BMCL were awarded the concession for the routes - Hualamphong-Bang Khae and Bang Sue-Tha Phra - the cost would be 20-per-cent lower than that of other contractors.

BMCL currently operates the subway, which runs from Hualamphong to Bang Sue.

Kamropluck said if a new concessionaire were to be chosen, it would need to invest in all facilities as well as the ticketing system, and the construction cost would as a result rise by Bt3 billion.

He said if BMCL operated the entire route, it would also mean greater convenience for commuters.

Registrations slump 13%

The Business Development Department yesterday said 40,723 companies were registered last year, down 13 per cent from 46,881 in 2006.

In December alone, new businesses totalled 1,986, with a combined registered capital of Bt13.4 billion. Of that total, 793 were located in Bangkok, and Q Asia Energy had the highest capital at Bt3.6 billion.

December registrations were down 20.69 per cent from the same period in 2006 and 41.21 per cent from last November.

The Nation