Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin will endeavour to promote Thailand’s ambitious land bridge mega project at APEC 2023 in the United States, between November 12th and 18th, and during the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit in Japan, between December 14th and 17th.
The project will link a port on Thailand’s east coast, on the Gulf, with a port on the west coast, on the Andaman Sea, with a high-speed train and road system
Moreover, the Thai government will launch an international road show next year to promote the project and attract foreign investment. The estimated cost of the project is currently about 1.4 trillion baht, with the environmental and health impact assessments (EHIA) pending approval. In addition, a strategic environment assessment (SEA) has also proposed by the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning.
The prime minister brought the project to the attention of the Chinese President, during his visit to China on October 20th, and with Saudi Arabian investors during his one-day visit to Saudi Arabia on October 21st.
Government Spokesman Chai Watcharong has claimed that top executives of some major multi-corporations had shown interest in the project.
Panya Chupanich, director of the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning, said that he expects the announcement of an invitation for international bidding for the project to be made in 2025, followed by contract signing in the third quarter of 2025, adding that foreign investors from Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, France and Germany, which operate shipping services in the region, are expected to invest in the land bridge project.
In return, he said that the investors will be awarded a 50-year concession to operate the project.
Danucha Pichayanan, secretary-general of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), said that the project requires a strategic environment assessment on top of the EHIA.
According to a study on whether shipping lines will use the land bridge or continue to use the Straits of Malacca, cargo vessels which sail through the Straits of Malacca without making a stop in Singapore are unlikely to use Thailand’s land bridge due to double handling costs.
Vessels which sail through the Straits of Malacca include container ships, bulk cargo ships, general cargo and tanker ships. In 2019, a total of 83,724 vessels of different types sailed through the straits.
