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**By APD writer Chen Jiabao **
BANGKOK, June 14 (APD) -- Thai government spokesman has detailed legal snags of the Sino-Thai railway project which will be cleared after the government uses its special power to push the project, local media Wednesday reported.
Sansern Kaewkamnerd was speaking on the five legal hurdles hindering the project after Thai Prime Minister Prayut-Chan-o-cha confirmed to the media that the government will invoke an absolute power Section 44 under the interim charter to speed up the railway project on Tuesday.
The first issue was about the legal license of Chinese architects.
Thai laws require foreign architects and engineers to hold valid Thai professional licenses to work in Thailand. Chinese architects were previously required to take an exam in Thai language to get the license.
"China says it has more than 20,000 kilometers of high-speed railway in the country while Thailand has none. Yet Thailand requires their architects to take an exam just to work in Thailand according to related laws.
Thus, we have to use Section 44 to allow them to work on the project in our country."Sansern said, adding that Thailand will provide Chinese engineers with training courses on the country's route, resources and terrains.
Section 44 gives junta leader of the current government absolute power to give any order deemed necessary to "strengthen public unity and harmony" or to prevent any act that undermines public peace.
The second issue involves the procurement law, which says a super board needs to be established to go through project costing more than five billion baht(142 million U.S dollars). Furthermore, a median price is needed for the negotiation of the procurement.
China does not have a specific agency to handle the Sino-Thai railway project, which is known as a government-to-government project.
Thus, the Transport Ministry of Thailand is trying to get names of companies involved in the project from Beijing, Sansern said.
Moreover, the project will run through some protected forests and farmland. Section 44 will help overcome restricts.
Deputy prime minister Wissanu Krea-ngam is drafting the Section 44 order, which will be submitted for scrutinization next week.
The Sino-Thai railway project has been long delayed.The government previously said it expects to commence construction on a 3.5-kilometer stretch out of the 252.5 kilometer route in northeastern Thailand's Nakhon Ratchasima as early as August.
After connecting the capital to the gateway to the northeastern region, the line will eventually go all the way to the north of the country and connect to the border with Laos.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
