Press Releases

On Sept. 29, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a Record of Discussions with the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand in Bangkok for the Project for Capacity Development on Tunnel Project Management in Thailand, a technical cooperation project.

This project aims to establish an organization that is in charge of tunnel projects, and to build a base for project supervision and research and design capability for mountain road tunnel projects in the Department of Highways (DOH), Ministry of Transport. It will contribute to the development of supervising construction projects for mountain road tunnels and to the promotion of national policies related to the development of a national roads network, and will contribute to the SDGs Goals 9 and 11.

Until now, mountain road tunnels have not been constructed in Thailand. Roads in mountainous areas have limited lanes, causing congestion due to large vehicles, and to traffic accidents, and this has been an obstacle to logistics and movement. This project is JICA's first technical cooperation project aimed at enhancing capacity for the formulation and promotion of construction projects for mountain road tunnels, and supporting the establishment of an organization responsible for mountain road tunnels. It is expected to contribute to strengthening connectivity in the region and become a model case for other countries.