Piraphan” posted congratulations to Thai people. We won the Hopewell case. Behind the Central Administrative Court Revoke the arbitral award Points out that the filing of the dispute case has passed the legal time limit.

Today, Mr. Peeraphan Saleerathaviphak, Minister of Energy A personal Facebook post stated, “Congratulations Thai people. We won the Hopewell case.” In this case, Mr. Peeraphan is involved because In the past government era General Prayut Chan-ocha assigned Mr. Peeraphan who is a lawyer helping the Ministry of Transport and Railways fight cases on various legal issues

Until recently, today the Central Administrative Court issued a verdict. Revoke the arbitral tribunal's decision that the Ministry of Transport and SRT pay Hopewell compensation of 27 billion baht plus interest to Hopewell (Thailand) Co., Ltd. after a new trial in accordance with the Administrative Court's order. highest on March 4, 2022, with the Central Administrative Court considering that Hopewell filed the dispute with the arbitral tribunal after the legal time limit expired.

For now, the value that the government must return to Hopewell in the case of canceling the construction contract for the elevated rail transportation system project in Bangkok. The amount is approximately 27 billion baht, which is the principal amount as determined by the arbitral tribunal to be 11,888 million baht, including an interest rate of 7.5% per year, or an average of 2.4 million baht per day from the date of the arbitral tribunal's decision in 2008 until the decision. The Supreme Administrative Court ruled in 2019.

Retracing the story of Hopewell, the city center pier that turned into an epic story. The lawsuit has been filed for 33 years, with the "Hopewell" project occurring in 1990 during the government of General Chatichai Choonhavan as Prime Minister. and Mr. Montree Phongpanich is the Minister of Transport. It is the opening of an auction for concessions to construct an elevated road. To solve traffic problems According to the contract, the concessionaire will earn income from train fares, tolls, and income from real estate along the route. And as a result of that auction, Hopewell Holdings Company, owned by Mr. Gordon Wu, executive chairman of Hopewell Holdings, a giant in the Hong Kong construction industry, was the winner.

But it appeared that the construction was delayed. Along with many problems, even after the coup in 1991, the government of Mr. Anand Panyarachun came to inspect all concession contracts. Before announcing the cancellation of the project, although later the government of Mr. Chuan Leekpai would push forward the project, in the end it officially canceled the concession on 20 January 1998, causing later Hopewell Holding Company Filed a lawsuit to demand damages for canceling the contract. Until it became a protracted lawsuit. In 2008, an arbitrator ruled in favor of the Ministry of Transport, with the SRT having to pay damages to Hopewell Company of 11,888 million baht, plus interest at 7.5% per year.

Later in 2014, the Central Administrative Court The arbitral award was revoked on April 22, 2019. The Supreme Administrative Court ruled that the Ministry of Transport and SRT had to comply with the arbitration order. Return compensation to Hopewell Company of 11,888 million baht with interest of 7.5% per year and the Ministry of Transport. In the era of Mr. Saksayam He tried to fight the case in every way. To prevent the government from having to pay such stupid fees until today

Source: Thai News Agency