Bangkok: The Cabinet has given the green light for the creation of a debt obligation spanning across multiple fiscal years to facilitate the construction of a bridge over the Chao Phraya River at Kiak Kai Intersection. This approval is specifically aimed at Section 3 of the construction project, which involves the development of an elevated road and a road on the Phra Nakhon side from the Chao Phraya River to the Saphan Daeng Intersection.
According to Thai News Agency, Deputy Government Spokesperson Mr. Karom Polpornklang announced that the Cabinet has sanctioned a budget of 875.50 million baht for the project. The funding is equally divided between a government subsidy and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) budget, each contributing 437.75 million baht. The government subsidy for the fiscal year 2025 will include 49 million baht reallocated from the income compensation for local administrative organizations affected by land and building tax collections, with the remaining 388.75 million baht requested from budgets for fiscal years 2026-2027.
Mr. Karom emphasized the urgency of the bridge construction project due to its readiness. The BMA has outlined the project in three phases. Phase 1 involves the construction of an elevated road and road on the Thonburi side using a budget of 770 million baht entirely from Bangkok’s funds, with a debt obligation period extending from fiscal year 2023 to 2025. The contract for Phase 1 runs from November 2023 to November 2025, with currently 11 percent of the work completed.
Phase 2 covers the bridge across the Chao Phraya River, including its entrances and exits. The Cabinet had previously approved this phase in March 2020, allocating a budget of 1,350 million baht shared equally between government subsidies and Bangkok’s budget. The contract for Phase 2, which spans fiscal years 2020 to 2026, is currently 33.7 percent complete.
The newly approved Phase 3, which covers the elevated road and road on the Phra Nakhon side, awaits initiation with a budget of 875.50 million baht, supported by both government and Bangkok budgets. This phase extends over fiscal years 2025 to 2027.
The total budget for all three phases of the construction project amounts to 2,995.50 million baht. The Budget Bureau has already approved the implementation guidelines for the project, ensuring that the infrastructure development progresses systematically.
