Trang: Minister of Public Health, Somsak Thepsuthin, has directed stringent monitoring measures for the ongoing construction of the patient building at Trang Hospital. This directive follows a complaint by Chuan Leekpai, a Democrat Party-list MP, addressing the repeated abandonment of the project by the assigned contractor. The project, which began in 2011, is now on its fourth contractor and is slated for completion in 2026.

According to Thai News Agency, Minister Somsak Thepsuthin expressed significant concern regarding the delays in the construction of the outpatient and emergency building at Trang Hospital after receiving a detailed complaint from MP Chuan Leekpai. The letter highlighted the project’s history of mismanagement, noting that the original contractor abandoned the project multiple times, causing extensive delays that not only stalled the construction but also led to the deterioration of already installed equipment.

The Minister emphasized the importance of the project for improving public he
alth service accessibility for residents of Trang and neighboring provinces. He revealed that the initial construction phase started in July 2012 with a budget of 421 million baht allocated for the years 2011-2013. However, the first contractor, Gemini and Associates Co., Ltd., failed to follow the agreed timelines, resulting in the cancellation of their contract in May 2015 after only one installment of work had been completed.

Following this, the project was handed over to Tosaporn Engineering Group Co., Ltd. in November 2016, but this contractor also failed to meet the requirements, leading to another cancellation in December 2019 after six installments. The third contract was given to ST-Maxence-TW Joint Venture in March 2020, which again fell through by August 2023 after similar issues.

Currently, the search for a fourth contractor is underway, with a revised budget of 280 million baht split over the years 2024 and 2026. Minister Somsak has called on all relevant agencies to ensure rigorous supervision
to prevent further delays. “The inspection found that the construction of the building, all 3 contracts that had to be canceled, was due to the contractor not being able to deliver the work as specified in the contract, which was a delay in construction,” he stated. He also mentioned that the bidding process for the new contractor is anticipated to start on October 25, 2024, with the aim of completing the construction by 2026.