Greenlight for studies for "Thai Bridge" to connect Petchaburi and Chonburi

[bander]

They picked the right time to start a multiple billion bath project when thais don't have work and no money to buy food.

[BigStar]

The problem for us Pattaya residents is that the bridge will encourage all that boring riff raff from Hua Hin to come over and dilute the waters of our beloved cesspool. We already got the TVF Pattaya Urban Planning Board working overtime sneering at past and current projects. These Hua Hin burghers will be supporting further gentrification, raising prices, and wearin' sandals with white socks everywhere. Pretty soon the hotties are all outta site and we can't all walk around in nothing but Speedos, drinking Chang.

 

I vote NO!

[unblocktheplanet]

Wow! Save two to three days! Holy! Impressive...

[Caldera]

I'm in favor. Now that Thais have defeated Covid, what's a little sea bridge? I'd even use it myself.

[GooEng]

12 hours ago, mickymouse1 said:

Give it to the Chinese and t will be ready in 2023

no need to give it to the chinese - it'll be theirs anyway - where else is thailand going to get finance for a project like that?

[bkk_bwana]

10 hours ago, CLW said:

Nowadays it's a pain in the ass driving from Pattaya to Hua Hin on motorway because you have to cross Bangkok downtown.

Not nowadays. The outer ring road expressway #9 has been open for several years and joins Rama II in the south and the Buraphawiti Expressway and Bangkok - Rayong Motorway in the east.

[Harry Fingerling]

No doubt someone’s uncle will be head of the feasibly group.????

[katatonic]

12 hours ago, realfunster said:

I was wondering about this in the "1.1 trillion of projects under review" thread also started today.

 

So this confirms it, they are considering an 80+km bridge across the Gulf.

 

Ambitious plans indeed, as the current longest sea bridge is 55km and cost USD20bn/THB625bn.

 

It wouldn't have to be much of a bridge, looking at the sea charts. None of it is over 5 metres deep so they could probably just lay the road on dredged & sprayed berms plus piled sections, with a bridge for ships in the middle. Not that I'm a road engineer, but it would surely be easier than the Hong Kong airport bridge and road project in the 90's.

Edited October 6, 2020 by katatonic
Addition

[hkt83100]

I am quite happy that I will not live long enough to see this thing completed.????

[JohnHans]

Am I dreaming? is it April fools day already? Perhaps they can get Boss of Redbull fame to pay for it, give him a choice pay for it and well continue to say we don't know where you are hiding or we lock you in jail and throw away the key. btw It will work out cheaper than the fees you are already paying!

Edited October 6, 2020 by JohnHans

[DJ54]

I’m remember that although 60+ years ago... Red Light .... Green Light.. STOP!

[TheFreqFlyer]

This bridge/tunnel across the gulf, although a pie in the sky project that will probably never happen, would certainly cut off far MORE than just 2-3 hours from the current journey times between say Chonburi and Petchaburi. If you're lucky, it takes maybe 5-6 hours to cover this distance using the expressway network, which of course ends in Dao Khanong, where you are then faced with terrible traffic on Rama 2. If this bridge and tunnel eventuates, I expect journey times down to barely an hour, therefore, 4-5 hours down from the present. 

 

The government is sending us mixed messages though.

 

On the one hand, there is this specter that the country may never re-open it's borders (not just to tourists, but in general) or only in a very limited and restrictive format, and on the other, they're planning for a future where everything is back to normal. Because you don't plan these great big infrastructure projects to connect Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, if borders remain closed or largely closed. That only makes sense in a globally and regionally connected world, like the one we knew before March of this year. 

 

My guess is the government knows the country will eventually open up and is planning for the future, but at this point I'm not sure what or who to believe anymore.

 

After all, we have stories emerging where they're saying countries (including Thailand) will only reopen fully once a vaccine is developed, but there is no guarantee one will ever come. And even if it does come, are they willing to destroy the economy and have millions unemployed and starving, risking riots and unrest for the remote possibility of this vaccine arriving?

 

Those people thinking a vaccine will bring freedom back (well, freedom other than the lack of choice regarding being injected with something against your will) are likely to be disappointed too...because that's not the plan either.

 

Expect to see things like stores prohibiting entry (doors won't open) unless you swipe your hand containing a digital tattoo showing proof of vaccination...even then you may still be required to wear a mask to go shopping. True story...a guy down south somewhere posted on Twitter his local Tesco Lotus is using facial recognition technology to prevent maskless shoppers from entering. Ditto in Scotland, where schools are using the same technology...and it's probably in place in several other countries in some form. 

 

I don't see them dropping these measures even once the pandemic is gone. 

[TheFreqFlyer]

3 hours ago, bander said:

They picked the right time to start a multiple billion bath project when thais don't have work and no money to buy food.

Presumably the project would be hiring Thais thus enabling them to buy food.

 

However, as I made clear in my reply - either they know something we don't about the eventual reopening of the economy, or they are wasting their time with these ideas.

 

There's no point in investing in any such infrastructure UNLESS borders are fully open and unrestricted like before. 

[TheFreqFlyer]

7 hours ago, 2long said:

The last time I drove anywhere near Ranong, the road was windy due to the hills. And there's no train line on the western coastline. I can't see a road or rail connection being feasible, worthwhile, affordable or good for the nature in between.

They will undoubtedly build several tunnels through it to mitigate the impact. 

 

Thailand previously lacked the technology and know-how for tunnel building but reportedly the Department of Highways is about to be trained by the Japanese and this is likely to lead to more tunnel building in the future. 

[TheFreqFlyer]

8 hours ago, Old Croc said:

All containers get safely offloaded from ships and on to trucks eventually. That's how they get to their final destination.

The highway across the peninsular from Ranong to Chumphon already exists and seemingly would require little additional upgrading for this traffic. The rail already exists through Chumphon and up to Bangkok so I can envisage cargo from the Indian ocean being dispersed this way. It would seem to be very cost efficient in comparison to building a canal.

What I don't get is how, why and how much, a bridge across the gulf would entail, just to save a few road hours. An expensive disaster in the making!  As ships from the East (China) could sail directly to Chumphon why the need to link Chonburi into the route? Is there that much cargo from the western hemisphere needing to go there?

 

Edit: I've now read another topic that talks of a road link through Viet and Cambodia to Chonburi. It describes a tunnel across the gulf instead of a bridge!!!

Good luck trying to get Vietnam to allow Thai registered vehicles entrance into the country though! Never going to happen! I say focus on direct neighboring countries - such as upgrading roads leading to Sihanoukville, since Cambodia does allow Thai vehicles entrance. Beyond that to Vietnam is the responsibility of that country. 

[TheFreqFlyer]

6 hours ago, DaLa said:

I agree with you on the basis that Rama II through Samut Sakhon and Samut Songkhran is not a true motorway as such. However it is being upgraded to 4 lanes each way in parts which is wider than many motorways in Europe. Then continuing down through Petchaburi by passing Cha Am and Hua Hin is 3 lane each way.

 

I travel from Nonthaburi down to Cha Am frequently and manage 2 ½ hours, less at night, so from a commercial transport perspective, a reasonable timescale.

 

The problem is when there is an accident (so everyday!) and it can soon turn into 4 hours.

 

Once you’re down towards Chumphon the traffic thins out and the total journey would be around 12-15 hours. Hopefully with the additional time for the 11 hours in 14 rule.

 

In principal having my containers miss out the extra day down to Singapore, then be transferred to another ship and the 3 days up the Gulf of Thailand would be a sensible alternative.

They're currently building a motorway (elevated) along Rama 2 road, starting with the first 11km section to Ban Phaew to be completed in around 2 years from now. Eventually, it will be 75km long and end where Rama 2 road meets Petchkasem road at the Wang Manao junction in Ratchaburi. 

[SunsetT]

They wont rest until they've covered the whole of Thailand in concrete.

[jackinthebox]

Ranong to Chumporn- Fitcarraldo comes in mind....

[Okis]

There is gonna be alot of "protected" rainforest being demolished for this.  I have peole close to me that work with forest conservation and i was shown map over the areas where this will be built.  

 

Also alot of natives will loose homes and inherited land. 

 

 

[whaleboneman]

9 hours ago, Old Croc said:

Have you driven the road from Ranong to Chumphon? Did you mean windy or winding? Either way what's the relevance?

I didn't state there was a train line on the western coastline, I was taking about the existing one the location of which I described fairly specifically. Do you have a comprehension problem?

I've driven the road from Chumphon to Ranong several times - definitely not suitable for container carriers. 

[Albert Zweistein]

10 hours ago, Old Croc said:

All containers get safely offloaded from ships and on to trucks eventually. That's how they get to their final destination.

The highway across the peninsular from Ranong to Chumphon already exists and seemingly would require little additional upgrading for this traffic. The rail already exists through Chumphon and up to Bangkok so I can envisage cargo from the Indian ocean being dispersed this way. It would seem to be very cost efficient in comparison to building a canal.

What I don't get is how, why and how much, a bridge across the gulf would entail, just to save a few road hours. An expensive disaster in the making!  As ships from the East (China) could sail directly to Chumphon why the need to link Chonburi into the route? Is there that much cargo from the western hemisphere needing to go there?

 

Edit: I've now read another topic that talks of a road link through Viet and Cambodia to Chonburi. It describes a tunnel across the gulf instead of a bridge!!!

I don't see the point to offload containers on one side in Thailand, transport them by road or rail to the other side and load them again. The bulk of containers from the far east to europe are transported by huge ships. The time and cost involved on each side, tugboats, pilot and port fees times 2 will make it not profitable. It is a dream that might become a nightmare.

[TERMINATOR3AB]

Wow  ... this  Gov  really think they will still be in power  by  2030,s

Dream  on  Muppets  Viva  ...Revolutiuon

Good Luck  Thailand 

[phyx1u5]

not too sure about the bridge between petburi and chonburi, that seems like a cash grab. But the Thai "Suez" canal has been something that should have been done a while ago imo, but was probably halted because it would literally kill Singapore. I guess now either Thais don't care about Singapore or more likely Singapore will be a large shareholder on the project.

[SupermarineS6B]

21 hours ago, mickymouse1 said:

Give it to the Chinese and t will be ready in 2023

Yeah and falling to bits in 2024...........

[SupermarineS6B]

Laughable, the whole countries in bits and they're dreaming up garbage like this......  Isn't it time to take grandad back to the home......?  The Chinese must be wringing them greedy little hands and laughing their plums off watching these lot making the latest Carry on film............   I was told when i first took power on an asian job........" Never give the locals grog, and never put them in charge ".............    Now i see why...... 

[Venom]

21 hours ago, shady86 said:

Another 200mil B gone for feasibility study. 

????????????

[mikebell]

23 hours ago, webfact said:

1.18 trillion baht project is still at the feasibility stage. 

This means collecting money from possible builders; buying up land before the price goes up; cornering the market for the necessary raw materials.

[Old Croc]

7 hours ago, whaleboneman said:

I've driven the road from Chumphon to Ranong several times - definitely not suitable for container carriers. 

I haven't had personal experience on the road, I wish had gone that way on a recent trip.

 

However, I did have a fairly close look on GE and it appears most of it's length has been upgraded to a four lane divided highway. Major road works were happening in the middle of last year. 

[Henryford]

23 hours ago, shady86 said:

Another 200mil B gone for feasibility study. 

That buys a lot of new Mercedes.

[essox essox]

1 hour ago, Henryford said:

That buys a lot of new Mercedes.

or B M W'S