The land bridge mega project

[reader]

From Thai PBS World

Transport ministry will press ahead with the land bridge project, to link a deep-sea port in Ranong  on the west coast with a deep-sea port in Chumphon on the east coast by rail and motorway systems, to facilitate goods shipments to destinations beyond Thailand without going through the Straits of Malacca.

Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit said it is estimated that the massive project will cost about one trillion baht. Each seaport will be capable of handling 20 million cargo containers, or TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit), per year.

Suriya said that the project is now being studied by the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning, adding that the Prayut administration had decided that the project will be entirely private sector funded, while the government will provide land for the two deep-sea ports and for the road and rail routes.

The transport minister said potential investors from China and France did show interest in the project when it was initiated some years ago, but the ministry has not heard from them since.

 

[omega]

Is this an alternative to the canal project aimed at doing the same thing?

[PeterRS]

That one trillion baht cost seems an underestimate to construct two container ports and all the expresway and train infrastructure required to link them. Even though it's not much more than 120 kms, I imagine the estimated costs do not include all the fat brown envelopes that have to be passed on to various officials before it gets the final go-ahead.

No doubt such a landbridge will result in considerable savings for the shipping companies. On the other hand, they will be faced with additional Thai docking, manpower and transport costs, plus two ships where one had previously been required. But I guess that's not a major logistical issue, the more so given the time savings by not having to round Singapore. And with 300 ships presently taking that sea route daily, some will prefer the Thai solution.