PM Pushes Ahead with Land Bridge Mega-Project Nearly 1 Trillion Baht to Boost Long-Term Growth
Thailand targets bidding in 2026 for 997.7 billion baht Land Bridge linking deep-sea ports, with first phase operations planned for 2030
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has confirmed that the government will advance the Land Bridge mega-project, now valued at about 997.7 billion baht, to strengthen Thailand’s long-term growth.
The project aims to connect deep-sea ports in Ranong and Chumphon via supporting infrastructure under a public-private partnership (PPP) net-cost model with a fifty-year concession.
Seventeen infrastructure projects worth a combined 2.27 trillion baht will move forward under Anutin’s four-month administration; those deemed too burdensome on the budget have been shelved.
Detailed feasibility studies and planning efforts for the Land Bridge are already under way, overseen by the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP).
The government is set to present its policy roadmap to Parliament later this month.
The OTP has held multiple seminars summarising its studies, the environmental impact assessments, and preliminary designs.
It aims to issue tender documents in five to six months, in preparation for opening bidding in 2026.
The first phase is expected to become operational by 2030.
Phase one (termed Phase 1.1) of the project, costing about 617 billion baht, will focus on the ports, transport links, and commercial zones required for initial operations.
The full project involves seven major components: the two ports, rail and motorway links, inter-city motorways, and commercial development zones, among others.
Expected returns are significant: the economic internal rate of return (EIRR) is estimated at around 14.77 percent, while the financial internal rate of return (FIRR) is about 4.57 percent, with a net present value of roughly 307.56 billion baht and a benefit-cost ratio of approximately 1.18.
Interested investors include both Thai and foreign firms, among them China Harbour Engineering, DP World Logistics (Thailand), Mitsui & Co, and others.
The project is part of a broader Southern Economic Corridor initiative.
A draft Southern Economic Corridor Act (SEC Act) has cleared the House of Representatives.
Cabinet approval and parliamentary passage are expected to follow, enabling legal frameworks for land acquisition, bidding rules, and regulatory oversight.
While the government emphasises the project’s potential to elevate Thailand’s status as a regional transport hub and to attract foreign investment, there are concerns from local communities over environmental impacts, changes to local livelihoods, and coastal ecosystems.
Mitigation and compensation mechanisms are being proposed, including a fund supported by businesses operating in the project area, and more than sixty public hearings have been held over several years.
Construction is slated to proceed in phases, with tendering expected in 2026 and partial operations beginning in 2030, pending regulatory, environmental, and community agreements.
The project aims to connect deep-sea ports in Ranong and Chumphon via supporting infrastructure under a public-private partnership (PPP) net-cost model with a fifty-year concession.
Seventeen infrastructure projects worth a combined 2.27 trillion baht will move forward under Anutin’s four-month administration; those deemed too burdensome on the budget have been shelved.
Detailed feasibility studies and planning efforts for the Land Bridge are already under way, overseen by the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP).
The government is set to present its policy roadmap to Parliament later this month.
The OTP has held multiple seminars summarising its studies, the environmental impact assessments, and preliminary designs.
It aims to issue tender documents in five to six months, in preparation for opening bidding in 2026.
The first phase is expected to become operational by 2030.
Phase one (termed Phase 1.1) of the project, costing about 617 billion baht, will focus on the ports, transport links, and commercial zones required for initial operations.
The full project involves seven major components: the two ports, rail and motorway links, inter-city motorways, and commercial development zones, among others.
Expected returns are significant: the economic internal rate of return (EIRR) is estimated at around 14.77 percent, while the financial internal rate of return (FIRR) is about 4.57 percent, with a net present value of roughly 307.56 billion baht and a benefit-cost ratio of approximately 1.18.
Interested investors include both Thai and foreign firms, among them China Harbour Engineering, DP World Logistics (Thailand), Mitsui & Co, and others.
The project is part of a broader Southern Economic Corridor initiative.
A draft Southern Economic Corridor Act (SEC Act) has cleared the House of Representatives.
Cabinet approval and parliamentary passage are expected to follow, enabling legal frameworks for land acquisition, bidding rules, and regulatory oversight.
While the government emphasises the project’s potential to elevate Thailand’s status as a regional transport hub and to attract foreign investment, there are concerns from local communities over environmental impacts, changes to local livelihoods, and coastal ecosystems.
Mitigation and compensation mechanisms are being proposed, including a fund supported by businesses operating in the project area, and more than sixty public hearings have been held over several years.
Construction is slated to proceed in phases, with tendering expected in 2026 and partial operations beginning in 2030, pending regulatory, environmental, and community agreements.
