New car ferry service connecting Chonburi with Prachuap to operate 180km south of Hua Hin

 

Image: JustFerries. Photo of the MV The Blue Dolphin ferry when it operated in Hokkaido, Japan.

 

More details have been released regarding the proposed new ferry service that is expected to link Sattahip, Prachuap Khiri Khan and Songkhla. 

 

A post on the page of the Hua Hin Municipality suggested that a car ferry service operated by the Seahorse Ferry Co Ltd would be run between Sattahip and the Prachuap Khiri Khan port, which is located in Bang Saphan, which is at least two hours south of Hua Hin. 

 

The start date was earmarked for later this month.

 

The ferry to be used is the MV The Blue Dolphin - announced in earlier Thaivisa reports as the vessel that would operate daily between Sattahip (Juk Samet port) and Songkhla in the south.

 

The post suggested that the ferry will be in port at 10pm and leave at 2 am the next day. Service would be daily.

No foot passengers, only vehicles would be allowed initially.

 

The ferry has capacity in a 916 meter area for 100 10 wheel trucks. It can carry 586 passengers and has cabins and eateries. 

 

It had initially been thought that the new car ferry service would be an almost de-facto replacement for the passenger service which had operated between Hua Hin and Pattaya until March last year.

 

Earlier this week, Thaivisa reported how the service, which had been operated by the Royal Passenger Co. Ltd., has been scrapped, with the company ceasing trading.

 

However, rather than connecting Hua Hin and Pattaya as was the case with the previous service, it would appear the aim of the new car ferry service is to more specifically connect Chonburi with the south of Thailand.

 

It is also worth noting that the waters around Hua  Hin, or specifically in Khao Takiab, which is the location of the pier where the Royal Passenger Co. Ltd. service operated, are not deep enough for a large car ferry. 

 

A proposed new port in the Pak Nam Pran area, some 15 minutes south of Hua Hin, is yet to be built. 

 

This port was originally touted as the location for a car ferry service back in 2018, and was said to be a key part of the proposed "Thailand Riviera” project, the Thai government's ambitious plan to develop 528km of coastline including in the provinces of Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon and Ranong.
 

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Will this project ever be operational and successful I wonder.....

4 hours ago, petermik said:

Will this project ever be operational and successful I wonder.....

Actually the delay has purely been endless requests and complicated procedures from various authorities. Currently the vessel is undergoing customs clearance which is also a long process and the final hurdle is Health Authorities confirming the vessel meets all Covid-19 regulations. Currently as it stands the Governor of Prachuap has declared a ban on domestic vessels entering the port also, but we believe this will be resolved soon. As to the success of the venture I can't see why not, its certainly a better option for the trucks that battling traffic jams, curfew times etc.. and saves wear and tare on vehicles etc.. ultimately being a more productive and cheaper option. Only time will tell.

Can't wait! Driving from Pattaya to south of hua hin sucks.

A Thai vessel, operated by a Thai captain, and owned by a Thai company? Make sure you bring your own life vest in case the vessel hits one of these stealthy new submarines.

Obviously as the crow flies in a straight line this route makes sense, however how much additional distance would it have made to have a port of call at Hua Hin?   Presumably they have the business levels for the Hua Hin route from the previous ferry.  I have a place in Cha Am and agree with Jeff that it's a pain of a journey, but so would driving down to Prachuap and then a slow boat to Chin  Chonburi.

6 minutes ago, Forrests Father said:

A Thai vessel, operated by a Thai captain, and owned by a Thai company? Make sure you bring your own life vest in case the vessel hits one of these stealthy new submarines.

 

I guess the Titanic was also a Thai vessel, operated by a Thai captain.

 

At least, I'm sure this one will not hit a static iceberg.

6 minutes ago, DaLa said:

however how much additional distance would it have made to have a port of call at Hua Hin?

 

If you read the OP, it would be clear that it has nothing to do with distance.

 

 

It is also worth noting that the waters around Hua  Hin, or specifically in Khao Takiab, which is the location of the pier where the Royal Passenger Co. Ltd. service operated, are not deep enough for a large car ferry. 

It is just down the road for me. Perfect for us, we can now visit relatives in Ban Chang without the need to drive for 12 hours, and through BKK. Who cares about Hua Hin. You have the other ferry.

17 hours ago, rooster59 said:

No foot passengers, only vehicles would be allowed initially

So how does that work? Or does it mean only people with cars can ride?

[quote]

...The ferry has capacity in a 916 meter area for 100 10 wheel trucks. ...

[/quote]

 

A simple maths calculation shows this claim of 100 trucks to be absolute rubbish.  I calculated maybe 15 trucks.

11 hours ago, Susco said:

 

I guess the Titanic was also a Thai vessel, operated by a Thai captain.

 

At least, I'm sure this one will not hit a static iceberg.

Ah yes that ole  chestnut, of  course  most of the world doesn't  still  live in the safety era of 1912, except  Thailand.

30 minutes ago, simon43 said:

[quote]

...The ferry has capacity in a 916 meter area for 100 10 wheel trucks. ...

[/quote]

 

A simple maths calculation shows this claim of 100 trucks to be absolute rubbish.  I calculated maybe 15 trucks.

Now Simon come  on think vertically, plenty of  room on top to  pile them UPWARDS, just  like  a Thai  pick up truck carrying fruit etc.

16 hours ago, Susco said:

 

If you read the OP, it would be clear that it has nothing to do with distance.

 

 

It is also worth noting that the waters around Hua  Hin, or specifically in Khao Takiab, which is the location of the pier where the Royal Passenger Co. Ltd. service operated, are not deep enough for a large car ferry. 

Thank you...missed that crucial part.

Wonder how much taxpayer money was wasted on the original ferry...

6 hours ago, simon43 said:

[quote]

...The ferry has capacity in a 916 meter area for 100 10 wheel trucks. ...

[/quote]

 

A simple maths calculation shows this claim of 100 trucks to be absolute rubbish.  I calculated maybe 15 trucks.

Giving each truck approximately a 60sqm foot print? really, a 10m x 6m truck, yet to see any one them here.

I sure hope this comes to pass. That is a horrendous drive, with ridiculous traffic, unless done late at night, and even then it is a long drive. Thailand desperately needs alternative forms of transportation, and this is a small step in the right direction. Hopefully, the same people in charge of this project, are not the ones in charge of Hua Hun airport, one of the most underutilized airports in the world. 

7 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I sure hope this comes to pass. That is a horrendous drive, with ridiculous traffic, unless done late at night, and even then it is a long drive. Thailand desperately needs alternative forms of transportation, and this is a small step in the right direction. Hopefully, the same people in charge of this project, are not the ones in charge of Hua Hun airport, one of the most underutilized airports in the world. 

My prediction unfortunately is it won,t last long...more wishful thinking rather than research

11 minutes ago, petermik said:

My prediction unfortunately is it won,t last long...more wishful thinking rather than research

I wonder what the economics look like in terms of savings, for a car or truck, vs. the drive. It is a long drive and any chance of avoiding driving through Bangkok is a bit like a dream scenario!

2 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

I wonder what the economics look like in terms of savings, for a car or truck, vs. the drive. It is a long drive and any chance of avoiding driving through Bangkok is a bit like a dream scenario!

Coming from the south there is no need to drive through Bangkok. 

The outer-ring-road is a highway / expressway which circumnavigates Bangkok totally (15km from center).
 

That said anything which could avoid a 12hr drive is favorable. 
 

I wonder what the duration is of the boat trip & if seating etc is comfortable or just a crappy wooden or plastic bench seat etc

 

 

7 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I wonder what the economics look like in terms of savings, for a car or truck, vs. the drive. It is a long drive and any chance of avoiding driving through Bangkok is a bit like a dream scenario!

Every month I do a return trip from Pattaya down to our house in Trang..940 kms we leave at 4am in the morning and its around 11.5-12 hours drive...would I ever consider this ferry..no never...they say sailing time 20 hours plus getting on and off 22-23 hours minimum 

3 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Coming from the south there is no need to drive through Bangkok. 

The outer-ring-road is a highway / expressway which circumnavigates Bangkok totally (15km from center).
 

That said anything which could avoid a 12hr drive is favorable. 
 

I wonder what the duration is of the boat trip & if seating etc is comfortable or just a crappy wooden or plastic bench seat etc

 

 

It is still a nightmare drive, unless you are going through Bangkok late at night, or prior to 6am. And whether you are going around the northern loop through Ratchaburi, and Nonthaburi, to get to the NE, or the southern loop to get to Chonburi area, it is a difficult and tedious drive. 

1 minute ago, petermik said:

Every month I do a return trip from Pattaya down to our house in Trang..940 kms we leave at 4am in the morning and its around 11.5-12 hours drive...would I ever consider this ferry..no never...they say sailing time 20 hours plus getting on and off 22-23 hours minimum 

If they had nice staterooms, it would be a pleasant cruise. 

7 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

If they had nice staterooms, it would be a pleasant cruise. 

good luck with that...

19 minutes ago, petermik said:

good luck with that...

So easy to be cynical isn't it, however a simple Google search would have prevented you looking stupid.  Plenty of accommodation choices including state rooms with jacuzzis.

 

 

Pattaya/Hua Hin there were plenty of potential passengers (including me), but didn't work because it was too expensive.

The new route is even more unlikely to work.

19 hours ago, Susco said:

 

I guess the Titanic was also a Thai vessel, operated by a Thai captain.

 

At least, I'm sure this one will not hit a static iceberg.

Personally I was very pleased to see the Thai captain of the Costa Concordia jailed.

 

Also the Thai captain of the Thai duck boat that sank in Missouri killing 17 people who were told by the (obviously) Thai captain not to wear life jackets.

Similarly the Thai owner of MV Conception that went down in California a couple of years ago killing 34.

Never really understood why TVF allows sweeping racist statements to stand (and all the sad little warriors who rush to click like should also be ashamed).

What is the origin of the ferry?

Is that Chinese or Japanese writing on the side of it?

15 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

What is the origin of the ferry?

Is that Chinese or Japanese writing on the side of it?

It's from Japan.

16 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

Personally I was very pleased to see the Thai captain of the Costa Concordia jailed.

 

Doesn't look very Thai to me, and can't be bothered checking your other drivel.

 

 

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/5/12/jail-sentence-upheld-for-costa-concordia-captain

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francesco_Schettino

 

Francesco Schettino (Italian pronunciation: [franˈtʃesko sketˈtiːno]; born 14 November 1960)^[1] is an Italian former sea captain who commanded the cruise ship Costa Concordia when it struck an underwater rock and capsized with the deaths of 32 passengers and crew off the Italian island of Giglio on 13 January 2012.^[2][3] In 2015, he was sentenced to sixteen years in prison for his role in the incident.^[4]