“We are interested in taking part in any of the government’s projects related to rail operations, both metro lines and commuter routes,” Keeree Kanjanapas, chairman of BTS Group Holdings, parent of Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTSC), said yesterday.

He was speaking after a signing ceremony for two separate contracts for the purchase of 46 new four-car trains, for a total of 184 cars.

Germany-based Siemens will provide 22 of the trains and China-based CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles the other 24.

The cost of the deals is more than Bt11 billion.

The new trains will support growing ridership on the Skytrain’s Sukhumvit Line, which carries up to 900,000 people per day between Mo Chit Station and Bearing Station, and its Silom Line from National Stadium Station to Bang Wha Station, running a total distance of 36.25 kilometres.

This will include passenger services on the 13km extension of the Sukhumvit Line to Samut Prakan and 19km extension to Ku Kot.

Keeree said major train |components would be sourced from leading international suppliers and also local suppliers, especially for interior equipment such as stanchions, seats and hand straps, which would be incorporated in the final assembly.

“The funding will be in two parts. One is from the group’s cash and the other will be a loan,” he said.

The first batch of new trains will arrive in early 2018 and the rest delivered in 2020.

After completion of delivery, trial runs will be carried out prior to the trains being put into service.

Somkid Jatusripitak, the deputy prime minister responsible for economic affairs, said he was there presiding over the ceremony to thank Keeree for the major investment despite the economy’s slow recovery.

Though his outlook for the economy for this quarter is positive, it is not easy to push for economic growth amid the country’s current political situation and the world’s economic slowdown, he said.

The country’s economic expansion is also about 70 per cent dependent on exports.

“If the private sector does |not invest, how can the coun|try’s economy grow?” Somkid said.