SRT Board defers Airport Rail Link operation decision

Thansettakij•Economy•10d ago

Reader Briefing

The State Railway of Thailand is negotiating with the CP Group to extend Airport Rail Link operations for four months starting October 1, 2026.

•The private contractor (CP Group) requested to terminate the Airport Rail Link contract due to unsustainable losses.
•CP Group offered to operate the service for an additional four months from October 1, 2026, to January 31, 2027.
•The SRT has accepted a 1,067 million baht guarantee proposal but is still reviewing three other conditions.
•SRT Board deferred the decision on remaining conditions to the project management and contract supervision committees for a conclusion within September.

Overview

•The private contractor, CP Group, sent a letter requesting to end the contract and cease Airport Rail Link operations because it cannot bear the losses.
•The current contract for the Airport Rail Link is set to expire on September 30.
•CP Group proposed to continue operations from October 1, 2026, to January 31, 2027, to allow the State Railway of Thailand to prepare a transition plan.
•The State Railway of Thailand accepted the first condition regarding a guarantee payment of 1,067 million baht for the operation MOU.
•Three conditions—regarding litigation rights, KPI measurements, and vehicle return conditions—remain unaccepted by the State Railway of Thailand.
•CP Group requested a monthly management fee of 60 million baht, totaling 240 million baht over four months, which the State Railway of Thailand has not yet accepted.
•The State Railway of Thailand will present the disputed conditions to the project management and contract supervision committees for a decision within September.
•The State Railway of Thailand plans to potentially recruit 350 skilled former private employees and increase Eastern suburban train services as a backup.

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Key Quotes

Anan Phonimdaeng

"I ask passengers to be confident that from October 1, 2026, onwards, the Airport Rail Link service will continue to operate normally and will certainly not stop."

ขอให้ประชาชนที่ใช้บริการมั่นใจว่าตั้งแต่วันที่ 1 ตุลาคม 2569 เป็นต้นไป การบริการรถไฟฟ้าแอร์พอร์ต เรล ลิงก์ จะยังคงเปิดให้บริการตามปกติ ไม่มีการหยุดเดินรถอย่างแน่นอน

Key Entities

Person

Anan Phonimdaeng(อนันต์ โพธิ์นิ่มแดง)ℹ️

Governor of the State Railway of Thailand.

Organization

State Railway of Thailand(รถไฟแห่งประเทศไทย)ℹ️

The government agency overseeing the Airport Rail Link and rail operations.

SRT Board(บอร์ด รฟท.)

The board of directors of the State Railway of Thailand.

CP Group(กลุ่มซีพี)ℹ️

The private contractor party for the Airport Rail Link.

Asia Era One(เอเชีย เอรา วัน)ℹ️

The entity that has managed the Airport Rail Link since October 25, 2021.

Airport Rail Link(รถไฟฟ้าแอร์พอร์ต เรล ลิงก์)ℹ️

The rail service currently under negotiation for contract extension.

Project Management and Contract Supervision Committees(คณะกรรมการบริหารโครงการและคณะกรรมการกำกับสัญญาโครงการฯ)

The bodies responsible for deciding on the remaining contract conditions by the end of September.

Policy

High-Speed Rail Linking 3 Airports Project (Don Mueang-Suvarnabhumi-U-Tapaos)(โครงการรถไฟความเร็วสูงเชื่อม 3 สนามบิน (ดอนเมือง-สุวรรณภูมิ-อู่ตะเภา))

The project linked to the loan and interest payments of Asia Era One.