MPs: The time is right to build a bridge from the mainland to Koh Samui

 

Picture: Naew Na

 

Two Palang Pracharat MPs for Nakhon Sri Thammarat are urging the government to study the possibility of building a bridge from Khanom on the mainland to Koh Samui, the main tourist attraction in the province of Surat Thani. 

 

Sayan Yutitham and Rong Bunsuaykhwan have issued an emergency motion to force the government's hand.

 

The motion said that in 2017 Surat Thani province was number six in the country for tourism and third in the south behind Phuket and Krabi. 

 

In 2018 tourist revenue visitors were 2,651,500 people and they spent 64 billion baht. 

 

Koh Samui made up 63% of tourist revenue in the province. 

 

Visitors were 60% foreigners and 40% Thai. 

 

Until now the only ways to get to the island were flights and the ferry. 

 

They said that the ferry is overcrowded, inconvenient, time consuming and expensive. It is also limited in what it can offer and hopeless in emergencies.

 

The proponents of the motion said that the time is ripe to build a bridge that would provide a boost to the economy and be in line with the government's strategy to promote tourism in the south. 

 

On January 16th Sayan proposed the building of a bridge in comments in parliament.   

 

Thaivisa notes that a bridge from the mainland has been mooted for years but so far it has just been all ideas and little action.

 

Source: Manager Online

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-02-04

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

god forbid it should ever happen.

 

Oh yes, the one thing that Samui needs is more cars!

6 minutes ago, shadowofacloud said:

Oh yes, the one thing that Samui needs is more cars!

And more Chinese  tour buses!

With the strong Baht, maybe they can buy Tower Bridge and move it there?

7 minutes ago, RotBenz8888 said:

14 minutes ago, shadowofacloud said:

Oh yes, the one thing that Samui needs is more cars!

And more Chinese  tour buses!

like this one!  ???? 

3 minutes ago, RotBenz8888 said:

With the strong Baht, maybe they can buy Tower Bridge and move it there?

Now, that's an idea!

With the UK soon to join the merry club of developing countries, we'll see 40 GBP per THB in no time. ????

The instant that would open the mass toursim locusts descend and the island is obliterated. 

Pie in the sky !

1 hour ago, shadowofacloud said:

Now, that's an idea!

With the UK soon to join the merry club of developing countries, we'll see 40 GBP per THB in no time. ????

 

UK is already an undeveloping country, it has been for some time.

 

The big infrastructure/technology projects (HST, Aircraft Carriers) tend to mask that, just as similar projects mask the essential "character" of many so-called developing countries (no names mentioned).

 

In the UK the decline of social investment (extremely costly, but not at all "glossy") is what betrays it's true status.

 

The same applies to the covert, and not so covert, parochially minded, kleptocratic dictatorships (masquerading as economic heirs to the West) of the "developing" world.

 

The focus is maximum concentration, of maximum wealth, on the minimum number of "chosen" individuals.

 

This year sees a further step along that road for the UK.

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Enoon said:

 

UK is already an undeveloping country, it has been for some time.

 

The big infrastructure/technology projects (HST, Aircraft Carriers) tend to mask that, just as similar projects mask the essential "character" of many so-called developing countries (no names mentioned).

 

In the UK the decline of social investment (extremely costly, but not at all "glossy") is what betrays it's true status.

 

The same applies to the covert, and not so covert, parochially minded, kleptocratic dictatorships (masquerading as economic heirs to the West) of the "developing" world.

 

The focus is maximum concentration, of maximum wealth, on the minimum number of "chosen" individuals.

 

This year sees a further step along that road for the UK.

 

 

 

 

U-m-m-m, the discussion is about a bridge from mainland to Koh Samui, not your very strange thoughts about the UK economy and social structure.  Weird!

The only thing that is needed is fresh projects to skim. Sumui and the gulf is better off without a bridge.

Rest assured the ferry companies and Thai Airways are going to be happy to torpedo this crazy project.

18 minutes ago, Tchooptip said:

Rest assured the ferry companies and Thai Airways are going to be happy to torpedo this crazy project.

Surely that's Bangkok Airways, as they own the airport.

I notice that Thai Airways offer flights to Koh Samui, but it does state that it's operated by Bangkok Airways.

5 hours ago, webfact said:

 

Two Palang Pracharat MPs for Nakhon Sri Thammarat are urging the government to study the possibility of building a bridge from Khanom on the mainland to Koh Samui, the main tourist attraction in the province of Surat Thani. 

There are still people who do not know what is happening around them, many years ago there was talk of a second airport in Samui and one in Koh Phangan, the bridge is an idea absolutely out of reality as the two airports!

This has been mooted for as long as the Chiang Mai Rapid Transit System, about 25 years and neither will ever be built in our lifetimes !

Around these parts, any time is right for skimming off the top of the next "public" works project 

Better for improving Samui-tourism is to invest in infrastructure than a bridge, as the already coming number of tourists is more than the infrastructure on Samui can handle...

They said that the ferry is overcrowded, inconvenient, time consuming and expensive. It is also limited in what it can offer and hopeless in emergencies.

The above statement is UNTRUE ! I use Seatrans ferry service with my car each month and in the last 5 years they have improved the quality of their vessels immensely. They are very tidy, reasonably punctual with hourly sailings in both directions, all day. I nice shop sells food and drinks.

The only thing I don't like is the "compulsory" TV in all cabins ! Please give us one cabin that is noise free where we can read, sleep, talk.

I feel that the building of a bridge is not needed. Ferries are very helpful to tourists and they are safe and inexpensive as opposed to what the news says. I use  PhuketFerry and they are affiliated with reliable ferry companies and they have the flexibility to accept last minute bookings. I always take advantage of their promotions and discounted rates so they're clearly a more affordable choice. A bridge isn't a good idea.