snoop1130 Posted September 1, 2023 Share Posted September 1, 2023 One of the mega projects being inherited by the new government from the Prayut administration is the land bridge, intended to facilitate the movement of cargo containers and oil from the Andaman Sea to the Gulf of Thailand and to destinations beyond Thailand, as an alternative to the busy Strait of Malacca. The Prayut administration has painted a rosy picture of this mega project, a new alternative to the Kra Canal project, which has laid dormant for several decades. It hopes that construction of the project can commence in 2025 and be completed in four years. Opponents of the project, especially among conservationist groups, have doubts that it is worth the massive investment, estimated at about one trillion baht, and question from where the investment money will come. Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/is-the-massive-land-bridge-project-worth-the-trillion-baht-investment/ -- Thai PBS 2023-09-01 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post PETERTHEEATER Posted September 1, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted September 1, 2023 It's worth it for the commission alone. 1 3 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post tomazbodner Posted September 1, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted September 1, 2023 Don't get it why not copy Magdeburg and make "Kra canal" like this: Would avoid having to move cargo from one ship to another and trucks in between, as ships could just sail right through... Singapore would be upset, though. Very upset. Just that alone (under table payments NOT to build it) could equate or exceed commissions for building the land bridge... 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post smedly Posted September 1, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted September 1, 2023 well it is hardly a major shipping route like the suez canal or the panama canal, i think it will go ahead because the is so much money to be made were there's a budget they can fudge it.........................the bigger the better 2 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post hotchilli Posted September 1, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted September 1, 2023 7 hours ago, tomazbodner said: Don't get it why not copy Magdeburg and make "Kra canal" like this: All that weight of concrete, water ships and cargo precariously high above ground level, and migrant labour on a minimum wage.. a good enough reason not to I'd say. 2 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoilSpoil Posted September 1, 2023 Share Posted September 1, 2023 I read very little about the ecological damage as this project would destroy primary rainforests in Ranong. Big no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post redwood1 Posted September 1, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted September 1, 2023 The subs could use the canal.... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post sammieuk1 Posted September 1, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted September 1, 2023 I'm now a trillionaire said one billionaire ???? 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2baht Posted September 1, 2023 Share Posted September 1, 2023 Is the massive “land bridge” project worth the trillion baht investment? Kaching kaching, definitely! ???? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sydebolle Posted September 2, 2023 Share Posted September 2, 2023 If it ever happens, and that is a very big IF , then the Chinese will do it. Too big, too complex for the Thai government (irrespective of who habitats the government house); latter only interested in the massive kick-backs. Here the question comes of course, if and how Singapore would react as it would take the entire transit East-West out of the equation for them. And, in all fairness, having seen both the Thai and Singaporean way of operating ports, the Thais are generations behind ???? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retarius Posted September 2, 2023 Share Posted September 2, 2023 Just dig a canal like Panama or Suez. No need for a canal in the air. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Henryford Posted September 2, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted September 2, 2023 China will fund it, they want to avoid the Malacca Straight as a choke point for their ships. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bamnutsak Posted September 2, 2023 Share Posted September 2, 2023 32 minutes ago, retarius said: Just dig a canal like Panama or Suez. No need for a canal in the air. This land-bridge idea, has ports on either end with a rail/road connection over land connecting the two. Seems preposterous. The canal idea is a no-go as it would divide Thailand. The government should have aspirational goals, but these projects are just idiotic. 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xonax Posted September 2, 2023 Share Posted September 2, 2023 (edited) 10 hours ago, tomazbodner said: Don't get it why not copy Magdeburg and make "Kra canal" like this: Would avoid having to move cargo from one ship to another and trucks in between, as ships could just sail right through... They would need to reload the cargo to smaller vessels anyway! Why would ships be better than trains and trucks? Edited September 2, 2023 by Xonax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacko45k Posted September 2, 2023 Share Posted September 2, 2023 (edited) 5 minutes ago, Xonax said: They would need to reload the cargo to smaller vessels anyway! Why would ships be better than trains and trucks? Why? Would they not be planning to make it comparable in width to say Panama or Suez? Certainty should be wide enough to handle sea going ships and containers. Edited September 2, 2023 by jacko45k 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bundooman Posted September 2, 2023 Share Posted September 2, 2023 11 hours ago, tomazbodner said: Don't get it why not copy Magdeburg and make "Kra canal" like this: Would avoid having to move cargo from one ship to another and trucks in between, as ships could just sail right through... Singapore would be upset, though. Very upset. Just that alone (under table payments NOT to build it) could equate or exceed commissions for building the land bridge... And then Chinese warships and suchlike would be highly visible on passage from the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman. Because that is what would be on China's mind. What a wonderful target that would be........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwood1 Posted September 2, 2023 Share Posted September 2, 2023 Just now, Bundooman said: And then Chinese warships and suchlike would be highly visible on passage from the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman. Because that is what would be on China's mind. What a wonderful target that would be........ Dont worry, Thailands subs will take care of those war ships.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joedoebarinio Posted September 2, 2023 Share Posted September 2, 2023 What is wrong within the canal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retarius Posted September 2, 2023 Share Posted September 2, 2023 I've thought about this overnight, and still don't understand the benefit of putting it in the air instead of just digging a canal. If it is about land usage and buying land, kicking folk off land etc but if you put it in the air, you still have to buy the land underneath and no one could live there, so there's no saving. This will be mad expensive to build and to operate, meaning increased costs for ships to use it. I am assuming that sea level is the same in the Gulf as in the Andaman Sea so you will have to pump up vast amounts of water to fill the damned thing. Makes no sense to me. Will someone please explain any advantages the land bridge might have. Thank you all. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digitalbanana Posted September 2, 2023 Share Posted September 2, 2023 19 minutes ago, retarius said: I've thought about this overnight I'll bet most of us were thinking of something else on this forum; trillion baht investments a bit above our pay grades. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Derek Posted September 2, 2023 Share Posted September 2, 2023 I thought about this in the shower. No. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfd101 Posted September 2, 2023 Share Posted September 2, 2023 12 hours ago, smedly said: well it is hardly a major shipping route like the suez canal or the panama canal, Oh rilly? Just a large part of China's, Japan's, Sth Korea's & Taiwan's trade passes thru the Straits of Malacca ... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaoleBoy Posted September 2, 2023 Share Posted September 2, 2023 China wants this "land-bridge" and will "loan" the money for it just as they have done all over eastern Africa (ports and railways). Then if Thailand can't repay China will take it over as they are doing now in Africa. The gulf of Thailand will become a bigger environmental dumping ground. Singapore has 1 of the largest ports in the world (along side Hong Kong). Singapore's port is very complex with custom software running where containers are in port, what containers can sit next to others (certain chemicals can not be right next to each other) and how containers are packed on ships (in case of fires at sea). I wouldn't trust Thailand to replicate this. I can imagine HK must have their own custom software as well ... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spilornis Posted September 3, 2023 Share Posted September 3, 2023 The oil pipeline might make sense as a standalone project but the port facilities at either end would be expensive. Might work if ships could stand offshore and disgorge the oil into offshore piping buoys. You'd want to have strong environmental controls but you might get away with a series of breakwater complexes. Can't see the rail or road working simply because of the cost and infrastructure not to mention the double handling. The Chinese funded east-west railway in Malaysia was touted as being a container route. Who knows if it will work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVENKEEL Posted September 3, 2023 Share Posted September 3, 2023 It would be a logistics nightmare for cargo needing to travel beyond the Gulf side. I don't see it happening. Malacca St. at night is a nail biter for sure. You could save 1200 km of travel with the highway but lose alot of time offloading and loading if product is going beyond Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwilco Posted October 15, 2023 Share Posted October 15, 2023 (edited) "as an alternative to the busy Strait of Malacca." THis is the key question which doggs this and the Kra Canal Chinese don't want it, Singapore doesn't want and the amount of traffic it could carry doesn't warrant it. Chinese are already busy building routes through Loas to Burma and Thailand THere will always be ships that can't go down it and not enought ships who would pay enough to use it. If they want to connect across the Kra Isthmus then build a railway. THat existed before but a proper modern piece of civil engineering would bring jobs and boost cities like Chumpon and Ranong Edited October 15, 2023 by kwilco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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