RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
FM DTI
TO PRIORITY BTC HONG KONG
TELNO OTTER 259
OF 02140OZ SEPTEMBER 91
INFO ROUTINE BANGKOK, MANILA, PEKING
;
ff
GF
TV 748 152/3.
Pre 1991
IN
чт
FOR HEAP, BTC HONG KONG, FROM ADAMS, HEAD OF PEP
GORDON WU AND PROJECTS
86
MANY THANKS FOR YOUR HELPFUL OTTER 155. I FULLY AGREE THAT WE SHOULD MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ENCOURAGE UK COMPANIES TO WORK WITH HOPEWELL. I NOTE WU'S COMMENT ABOUT HOPEWELL HAVING THE RESOURCES TO TAKE ON THESE PROJECTS. HOW DO OTHERS E.G. THE HONG KONG AND SHANGHAI BANK CURRENTLY READ HIS FINANCIAL
STRENGTH?
2.
WE HAVE THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS ON SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITIES:
BANGKOK MASS TRANSIT
A.
THERE REMAINS SOME SCEPTICISM ABOUT WHETHER BOTH SCHEMES WILL GO AHEAD AND, IF SO, WHICH WILL BE IN THE LEAD. WU IS CLEARLY EXPECTING THE THAI GOVERNMENT TO MAKE MAJOR CONCESSIONS WHICH HISTORICALLY THEY HAVE BEEN RELUCTANT TO DO. OUR OWN EXPERIENCE WITH THE LARGE GREEN-E-SARN WATER PROJECT IN THAILAND HAS BEEN THAT THE THAI BUREAUCRACY IS ADEPT AT RESISTING EXTERNAL COMMERCIAL PRESSURE.
BALFOUR BEATTY HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY COURTING HOPEWELL IN RELATION TO TRACKWORK AND WESTINGHOUSE ARE KEEN TO PROMOTE THEIR SOLID STATE INTERLOCKING SIGNALLING SYSTEM WITH STATE RAILWAYS OF THAILAND BECAUSE SRT WOULD USE THIS FOR THEIR ELEMENT OF THE HOPEWELL PROJECT. WHEN WE HAVE DISCUSSED THIS PROJECT WITH GEC ALSTHOM THEY HAVE CONFIRMED THAT THEY ARE TAKING SERIOUSLY. WE WILL HOWEVER CHASE UP RONAN TO STRENGTHEN HIS RESOLVE.
IT
PAGE
RESTRICTED
1
94 062234
MDLIAN 7115