SRT ordered to pay Bt4.2bn to contractors over Red Line project

The Central Administrative Court has ordered the State Railways of Thailand (SRT) to pay two construction companies, Unique Engineering and Construction and Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction, 4.2 billion baht in outstanding payments, plus interest, within 60 days, for the construction of Bang Sue-Rangsit section of the Red Line suburban train service.

On November 21, 2022, the SRT was ordered, by an arbitration committee, to pay the two companies, but the SRT declined and took the case to the Central Administrative Court, claiming that the arbitration panel’s ruling was “against public peace and good morals of the people.” The court dismissed the SRT’s petition, on the grounds that the arbitration panel’s ruling did not contravene public peace and order.

Dissatisfied with the court’s ruling, SRT appealed to the Supreme Administrative Court, which upheld the Administrative Court’s ruling in October last year.

Subsequently, the two construction firms asked the Central Administrative Court to force the SRT to comply with the arbitration panel’s ruling.