The Marine Department will ask the new cabinet to approve its plan to build a port near Bali Hai Pier in Pattaya, which will be able to accommodate two large-sized cruise liners.
If the plan is approved, construction of the 7.4-billion-baht port will commence in 2026 and wrap up in 2029, said Wanchai Butthongdi, director of the department’s engineering division.
Once completed, the port will be the first in Thailand that is designed specifically to serve large cruise ships, he said.
At present, cruise ships dock in Bangkok and Laem Chabang ports, which are actually container terminals, so they lack the convenience of a proper cruise terminal, he said.
Similar projects are being considered in Koh Samui and Krabi, said Mr Wanchai.
As the demand for cruise tourism is rising globally, Asia and Thailand have emerged as the top destinations for cruise travellers, he said.
The port will be constructed under a public-private partnership model, under which the government will be responsible for the physical construction of the port, as well as a one-kilometre jetty that could serve two cruise ships at the same time, he said.
The private partner, meanwhile, will be given a 30-year concession to operate and manage the port, which would cost 7.41 billion baht to construct. With a 20% annual return on investment, the concessionaire is expected to break even in 10 years.
Several cruise line operators and related businesses in Hong Kong and Singapore have expressed their interest in the project, Mr Wanchai said.
The new port will be able to handle up to 1,500 cruise passengers per hour when it is used as a home port or up to 3,500-4,000 passengers per hour when it serves as a port of call, he said.
The port will also be connected to tourist destinations around Pattaya and in Bangkok, Ayutthaya and Samut Prakan, he said, adding it will also serve nearby islands through speedboat and ferry services.