Thailand’s Koh Samui Sea-Bridge Set for Cabinet Submission in 2026, Construction by 2029
EXAT plans phased approvals and public hearings for 37-kilometre bridge-expressway to slash journey times and ease ferry congestion
Thailand’s Expressway Authority (EXAT) has announced that it will submit the Koh Samui sea-bridge project to the Cabinet for approval in late 2026, aiming for construction to begin in 2029 and full completion by around 2034.
The bridge-expressway would link the southern mainland with Koh Samui, removing dependence on ferries and reducing travel time dramatically.
The project still must pass several stages before Cabinet submission.
These include a third and final round of public hearings, approval of the environmental impact assessment, followed by the EXAT board’s endorsement.
EXAT Governor Surachet Laophulsuk has said that public consultations will conclude by October of next year.
Meanwhile, feasibility and environmental assessments are on track toward 2026.
The proposed bridge and associated access roads would cover about 37 to 40 kilometres in total, depending on where the mainland abutment is located.
The sea-bridge portion over the Gulf of Thailand would extend roughly 25 kilometres.
Possible entry points on the mainland include Don Sak in Surat Thani Province and Khanom in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province; on the Koh Samui side, Taling Ngam is one likely abutment area.
EXAT envisages the project as a public-private partnership, with a budget estimated at about 55 billion baht.
Key participants expected to benefit or be involved include the Electricity Authority of Thailand, the Provincial Electricity authority, the Provincial Waterworks Authority, and the National Telecom company, all of which have infrastructure that may tie into the bridge’s utilities.
Officials say the sea-bridge will vastly shorten the journey between Samui and the mainland to about twenty minutes, compared to over an hour by ferry.
It would also reduce wait times for departures and improve reliability, which is particularly important during adverse weather.
The timing, routing, and cost remain subject to change, especially pending public feedback and site studies.
But the project is now firmly scheduled with a clear path toward Cabinet approval, signaling strong government intent to push ahead.
The bridge-expressway would link the southern mainland with Koh Samui, removing dependence on ferries and reducing travel time dramatically.
The project still must pass several stages before Cabinet submission.
These include a third and final round of public hearings, approval of the environmental impact assessment, followed by the EXAT board’s endorsement.
EXAT Governor Surachet Laophulsuk has said that public consultations will conclude by October of next year.
Meanwhile, feasibility and environmental assessments are on track toward 2026.
The proposed bridge and associated access roads would cover about 37 to 40 kilometres in total, depending on where the mainland abutment is located.
The sea-bridge portion over the Gulf of Thailand would extend roughly 25 kilometres.
Possible entry points on the mainland include Don Sak in Surat Thani Province and Khanom in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province; on the Koh Samui side, Taling Ngam is one likely abutment area.
EXAT envisages the project as a public-private partnership, with a budget estimated at about 55 billion baht.
Key participants expected to benefit or be involved include the Electricity Authority of Thailand, the Provincial Electricity authority, the Provincial Waterworks Authority, and the National Telecom company, all of which have infrastructure that may tie into the bridge’s utilities.
Officials say the sea-bridge will vastly shorten the journey between Samui and the mainland to about twenty minutes, compared to over an hour by ferry.
It would also reduce wait times for departures and improve reliability, which is particularly important during adverse weather.
The timing, routing, and cost remain subject to change, especially pending public feedback and site studies.
But the project is now firmly scheduled with a clear path toward Cabinet approval, signaling strong government intent to push ahead.
