New Bt37-billion motorway in South planned to boost trade with Malaysia

By The Nation

 

 

THAILAND plans to build a 62km motorway in the southern province of Songkhla to the border with Malaysia in a bid to boost bilateral trade and cross-border tourism that is currently worth an estimated Bt500 billion per year, Transport Minister Arkhom Termpitayapaisit said yesterday.
 

  The private sector will be invited to bid for the project, which is estimated to cost Bt37 billion, as a Public Private Partnership (PPP) scheme with the government providing land and other facilities.

 

 

Thai, Malaysian, Singaporean and Japanese builders and other investors have expressed interest in the planned motorway, which will start at the southern city of Hat Yai and end at the Sadao district bordering Malaysia.

 

The new route will serve more than 20,000 vehicles per day and shorten the current 90-minute commute from Hat Yai to the Malaysian border to only 60 minutes while reducing traffic congestion on the Petchakasem Highway, the South’s only main highway towards the Thai-Malaysian border.

 

Arkhom said the project will also boost a special economic zone near the border, facilitating bilateral trade via the Sadao customs checkpoint, which is worth around Bt325 billion a year, and via the Padang Bezar border checkpoint, worth another Bt150 billion per year.

 

In addition, a large number of Malaysian and Singaporean tourists cross the border into Thailand so the new motorway will serve as a faster route to Hat Yai, the South’s largest commercial and tourist city.

 

Private investors who win the bidding will be awarded a 30-year contract to build and operate the four-lane motorway with toll fees ranging from Bt10 to Bt88 per vehicle.

 

Arkhom said the Cabinet is expected to grant approval later this year and construction would start in 2019 with completion in three years.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30343972

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-04-26

So IED disposal areas instead of rest stops?

So the 20,000 vehicles will all arrive 30 mins earlier and form a longer queue at the border crossing.

 

My take it that this is simply a huge border crossing parking lot. I've seen them before. One in Austria going to Croatia.  

Could name it insurgent way.

aactually it s planned to put about half or 18 billion baht in the PM's and his group's POCKETS. Look for all their childrento have new Benz soon.

7 hours ago, webfact said:

the new motorway will serve as a faster route to Hat Yai

Maybe include a Fast Lane for insurgents?

This new motorway is very much needed as the existing Highway No. 4 is very busy, overloaded with heavy trucks and extremly dangerous - not because of insurgents, they are nighter active nor present in this part of the country..

7 hours ago, webfact said:

New Bt37-billion motorway in South planned to boost trade with Malaysia

In 2017 Malaysia had a favorable trade balance with Thailand.

https://countryeconomy.com/countries/compare/malaysia/thailand?sc=XE87

In 2017 Singapore had a favorable trade balance with Thailand.

https://countryeconomy.com/countries/compare/singapore/thailand?sector=Trade+balance&sc=XE88#tbl

So improved transportation between Malaysia and Thailand might further increase both Malaysia's and Singapore's favorable trade balances with Thailand. I'd expect they would have interest in the planned motorway.

20 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Maybe include a Fast Lane for insurgents?

Won't work. In Thailand all the slow drivers drive in the fast lane, particularly if there is an insurgent getaway car or ambulance following them.

2 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

Could name it insurgent way.

This area is not as bad as Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani further to the east. 

8 hours ago, Srikcir said:

In 2017 Malaysia had a favorable trade balance with Thailand.

https://countryeconomy.com/countries/compare/malaysia/thailand?sc=XE87

In 2017 Singapore had a favorable trade balance with Thailand.

https://countryeconomy.com/countries/compare/singapore/thailand?sector=Trade+balance&sc=XE88#tbl

So improved transportation between Malaysia and Thailand might further increase both Malaysia's and Singapore's favorable trade balances with Thailand. I'd expect they would have interest in the planned motorway.

I use to live an hour south of the border.  Hat Yai is vibrant, and the locals say, with trade and tourism from Malaysia, there are always opportunities.   Other than the violence, it is a great place.

Edited April 26, 20188 yr by yellowboat

Did anyone work out the cost per kilometre?

 

Is it me, or is that expensive for the typical standard that is delivered?

44 minutes ago, blackcab said:

Did anyone work out the cost per kilometre?

 

Is it me, or is that expensive for the typical standard that is delivered?

About 29 Million US dollars per mile. My mind works better in dollars per mile.

Each insurgent gag is funnier as it gets repeated

10 hours ago, AsiaHand said:

aactually it s planned to put about half or 18 billion baht in the PM's and his group's POCKETS. Look for all their childrento have new Benz soon.

Sounds plausible.

I hear most of the praise for Mr. P. from the south.

Not so much up here.

Anyone surprised?

 

Hope I got it right.

 

65.59 km = 40.76 miles

37 billion Baht = 955 million EUR, 834 million GBP, 1.168 billion USD

 

14.56 million EUR/km

12.71 million  GPB/km

20.46 million  GBP/mile

28.65 million USD/mile

 

And note that this is a "motorway" which would compare to motorway 7 or 9.

But still this sounds pretty expensive assuming the numbers I found for German autobahn are correct (6 to 20 million EUR/km).

 

 

 

Edited April 26, 20188 yr by KhunBENQ

.

 

Edited April 26, 20188 yr by blackcab