TWO LEADING professional councils have said Chinese engineers and architects involved in the Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima high-speed train project will have to be tested and certified by Thai councils.

The Engineers Council and Architects Council said at a press conference in Bangkok yesterday that they would also set up measures to facilitate the transfer of Chinese technological know-how from the project. The two councils added that the order of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to expedite the project did not mean that Chinese engineers and architects could

immediately start work on the project.

The order specifies that foreign experts must pass tests administered by both professional councils.

The press conference came after a meeting between the professional councils and the Cabinet on Tuesday to clarify concerns over the NCPO order. Many people have expressed worries that it could allow Chinese engineers and architects who did not understand Thai laws and culture to work on the project.

Engineers Council president Kamol Takabut said that despite the NCPO order exempting Chinese engineers and architects from acquiring a licence from the professional councils, the order still opened the way for training and testing by the professional councils before they started work.

“The Engineers Council and Architects Council still maintain our stance that the Chinese engineers and architects should follow our Engineer Act and Architect Act and apply for licences before working in Thailand,” Kamol said.

“However, we understand that our councils have to follow the NCPO order and thus we are working on a proper training programme and tests for the Chinese experts to prepare them for the different working atmosphere in Thailand and keep the standards of this project high.”

Engineers Council secretary-general Amorn Pimanmas said the NCPO order did not waive Article 8 of the Engineer Act, which empowers the Engineers Council to certify the knowledge and skills of engineers who work in Thailand.

The council could use the law to force Chinese engineers to sit for tests, he said.

“This can be an assurance that the Chinese engineers working on this project will at least have a standard understanding about working in Thai work culture,” Amorn said.

He also said that if Chinese engineers or architects made a mistake that caused damage, they would be punished under Thai laws, as the NCPO order did not exempt them from the law.

Air Vice Marshal Prakitti Kasemsan, an Architects Council committee member, said the training would involve work culture, as the Chinese professionals would have to understand the background of Thailand’s geography, culture and ethical codes, and they would be tested before they receive certification.

On the issue of technology transfer, Amorn said the Cabinet had agreed with both professional councils that there should be systematic measures to encourage the acquisition of high-speed train technology.

He said both councils would set up committees to oversee technology transfer with involved professional associations and academic institutes.

“We are negotiating with China to let Thai engineers and architects work alongside their Chinese counterparts on the project.

China has already agreed to this proposal, but the numbers of Thai engineers and architects is still being discussed,” Amorn said.