NACC monitors second procurement round for B200 million Ao Por ferry pier
The Ao Por ferry pier project in Phuket is undergoing a second procurement process after the initial bidding failed to produce a contractor.
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is monitoring the second procurement round for the Marine Department’s B200 million Ao Por ferry pier project in Phuket after the initial bidding process failed to select a contractor.
NACC officials held a meeting and conducted a field inspection to observe the project’s implementation and gather information about the procurement process, the agency said.
The Marine Department said bidders must be registered construction contractors with the Comptroller General’s Department in the offshore construction, special-class category. The project’s median price also had to be recalculated after changes to relevant regulations. It is now being calculated under criteria set by the Median Price Committee and revised to align with current guidelines.
The Marine Department expects to select the lowest bidder by 30 October 2026 before signing a contract. Construction is scheduled to take 900 days, with completion expected in May 2029.
The Ao Por pier is one of four facilities proposed as part of a study to develop water transport routes across Phang Nga Bay. The other proposed piers are Manoh and Chong Lad in Phang Nga province, and Tha Len in Krabi province.
The planned network is intended to link Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi through an Andaman ring waterway, reduce travel times compared with road transport and allow vehicles to be carried across Phang Nga Bay between Phuket and Krabi. The wider project is also intended to support tourism and economic development in the three provinces.
The NACC’s Phuket office advised the Marine Department to follow all procedures during the pre-procurement and bidding stages, including proper establishment of the median price, publication of electronic bidding announcements and documents, assessment of bidder qualifications and the use of clear proposal-evaluation criteria.
The office also called for risks during bidding and evaluation to be identified and mitigated to promote transparency and maximise public benefit. It said it would continue monitoring the agencies involved and their compliance with relevant laws and regulations.
