This article is part of a daily series of MegaProjects articles. If you want to know more about PPP projects with a considerable size visit our MegaProjects section. You can receive them by email on a daily basis.

Thailand's Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Committee has announced plans to boost a total of five PPP transport projects to stimulate the country's economy and improve its transport system.

Somkid Jatusripitak, deputy prime minister and chairman of PPP, said, these five projects would be driven under the PPP fast track, which would take shorter time to rush all the processes. The tender processes for the projects are expected to be launched soon to finish the bidding process by the first half of 2016.

The five PPP transport projects, which involve a total investment of approximately P334 billion (US$9.27 billion), are the following:

• Development of Bangkok's MRT Pink Line elevated train PPP project, which will link Kaerai and Min Buri. The total project investment is estimated at Bt56.7 billion (US$1.57 billion).

• Development of Bangkok's MRT Yellow Line elevated train PPP project, which will link Lat Phrao and Samrong. The total project investment is estimated at Bt54.7 billion (US$1.52 billion).

• Operation of Blue Line extension PPP project, which will link Bang Sue and Bang Khae. The estimated cost will be approximately Bt82.4 billion (US$2.29 billion). The line now runs from Hua Lamphong to Bang Sue. The preferred bidder will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the new extension.

• Bangpa-in - Nakhon Rachasrima motorway PPP project. The total project investment is estimated at Bt84.6 billion (US$2.35 billion).

• Bangyai - Kanchanaburi motorway PPP project. The total project investment is estimated at Bt 55.62 billion (US$1.54 billion).

The first three projects had been recently approved by Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak along with two other projects: the Nonthaburi waste-to-energy PPP project and the Nakhon Ratchasima waste-to-energy PPP project. The two motorway PPP projects are expected to get the approval by the end of this year.

All the projects will then be proposed to the Cabinet by March and put for the bidding process by May, said Ekniti Nitithanprapas, director-general of the State Enterprise Policy Office (SEPO).

The projects are part of Thailand's infrastructure development plan from 2015 to 2020. Under this plan, Bt1.57 trillion (US$43.6 billion) is expected to be invested, most of it through partnerships with the private sector. The plan includes a total of 66 projects in 20 categories, 80% of them being transport projects.

We have recently reported on several PPP projects in the Asia Pacific region:

• Kandla - Mundra port highway - India
• Melbourne rolling stock - Australia
• Mathura - Vrindavan Wastewater - India
• Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) O&M - Philippines
• Kansai and Osaka international airport concession - Japan