Thailand plans 163b baht of public-private projects this year

[BANGKOK] Thailand plans 163 billion baht (S$7.17 billion) of public-private infrastructure projects this year, a finance ministry official said on Tuesday, as the government tries to invest more to support long-term economic growth.

The projects include a subway line extension, a mass transit project and highways rest areas, Panthip Sripimon, head of the State Enterprise Policy Office, said in a statement.

The government has planned public private partnership projects worth one trillion baht between 2020 and 2027, she said.

South-east Asia's second-largest economy, which is heavily reliant on tourism and exports, shrank 6.1 per cent last year, the biggest drop in more than two decades, as the coronavirus pandemic hit global demand and travel.

The government expects the economy to grow 2.5-3.5 per cent this year.

REUTERS