PUBLISHED : 2 Sep 2024 at 19:57
The southern Land Bridge megaproject will move forward as the government is currently drafting the Southern Economic Corridor (SEC) bill, which is required for the project to continue, Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit said on Monday.
The one-trillion-baht project, which will see a shipping shortcut and various supporting infrastructure built to connect Ranong and Chumphon in the South, will carve out an alternative route for cargo ships heading from the Andaman Sea to the Gulf of Thailand and vice versa. The government is hoping the new shipping lane will not only cut journey times but also stimulate the South’s economy.
Mr Suriya said the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy Planning (OTP) is in the process of drafting the SEC bill. Once completed, it will forward the draft to the Special Economic Zone Development Policy Committee for consideration.
When endorsed, the bill would then be submitted to the cabinet and the House of Representatives for approval.
The SEC Act is expected to come into effect by September 2025.
Mr Suriya explained that the act will form the blueprint for the further development of Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Chumphon and Ranong. An SEC office will be established to oversee the development once the act is passed.
He added that the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (Onep) expected to wrap up its environmental assessments by the end of next year.
Onep is expected to come up with the design for the land transportation links, namely the motorway and railway connecting Chumphon and Ranong. The designs should be in line with the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), and Environment and Health Impact Assessment (EHIA), said Mr Suriya.
He said the ministry will finish drafting an Investment Management Request for Proposal (RFP) by the first quarter of 2026 and wrap up the selection process for private investors within the following quarter.
The construction is set to kick off in the third quarter of 2026, with the Land Bridge expected to be fully operational in 2030.
Mr Suriya said the government welcomes investors from all countries and that the project will be managed in accordance with good governance practices.