Southern’s land-bridge

Chatrudee Theparat

Southern’s land-bridge

1-trillion-baht southern land bridge project called to move faster

The government is speeding up the implement of the country’s southern land bridge project which costs one trillion baht.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin ordered related agencies to move the project faster with a plan to hold roadshows abroad this year to promote and drive its investment.

Mr Karom Polpornklang, deputy government spokesman, said the government will accelerate the investment of Southern’s land-bridge project to link between Andaman sea and the Gulf of Thailand from Chumphon to Ranong. The megaproject will connect Chumphon on the eastern coast along the Gulf of Thailand to Ranong along the Andaman Sea.

Also, the government plans to establish a Southern Economic Corridor (SEC) Office by this December to issue a draft bill of SEC, while a royal decree for land expropriation is projected between January 2025 and December 2026.

“The transport ministry reported to the cabinet that the ministry will conduct a survey on the project site by April 2024. Also, the government plans to propose the cabinet to approve the land-bridge project between July-August 2025. Its construction is expected to begin between 2025 and 2030 and be operational by October 2030.”

The land-bridge project worth 1 trillion baht includes four phases. The first phase costs 609.89 billion baht, along with 164.67 billion baht, 228.51 billion baht, and 85.17 billion baht in the second, third and fourth phase respectively. The cabinet also gave a green light for a 167-kilometer double track rail Khon Kaen-Nong Khai.

Mrs Rudklao Suwankiri, deputy government spokesman, said the cabinet also approved to continue a 167-kilometer double track rail Khon Kaen-Nong Khai worth 29.74 billion baht, which is expected to be operational within five years.

She said the project is a new route to parallel the existing route, the Khon Kaen-Nong Khai route as one of the seven routes proposed for a second phase of the government’s double track rail system, which will span to 1483km. The cabinet authorized the Budget Bureau to provide a budget for the project or borrowing from local financial institutions.

In addition, the cabinet also authorized the State Railway of Thailand to revise for stations from previous plan of 14 stations.