Forget Kra land bridge, just build a canal

[webfact]

The prospect of the Kra Canal, a man-made waterway cutting across Thailand’s Isthmus of Kra, has ignited impassioned debates across various spheres. For years, the canal has remained a theoretical venture, lurking in the wings of policy discussions and tantalizing the imagination of strategic planners. Despite the substantial logistical and financial hurdles that come with this mega-project, the merits of the Kra Canal for Thailand are too compelling to dismiss.

 

Firstly, the Kra Canal presents an unparalleled economic opportunity. In a world where international trade is the lifeblood of global economies, the canal could become a cornerstone of Southeast Asian commerce. By providing a direct maritime route between the Andaman Sea and the South China Sea, the canal would significantly shorten the travel distance for ships navigating between the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

 

Currently, vessels must traverse the congested and geopolitically sensitive Strait of Malacca, a detour that not only increases shipping time but also inflates costs. The canal’s capacity to bypass this chokepoint makes it an attractive alternative that could quickly gain popularity, driving a steady stream of revenue into Thailand’s coffers.

 

This leads to the second point: job creation. The construction and maintenance of the canal would require a large workforce, helping to mitigate unemployment and underemployment in southern Thailand. As a hub of maritime activity, the canal is likely to stimulate the growth of ancillary services like ship maintenance, refueling, and logistics.

 

by Arun Saronchai

 

Full story: THAI ENQUIRER 2023-10-26

 

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[retarius]

Great idea, but not innovative, sustainable or costly enough. There's any awful lot of snouts in this trough. 

[connda]

The canal would pay for itself.

[bamnutsak]

A canal will NEVER happen.

 

It's been floated forever (like late 1600's), always shot down for national security issues.

 

And how would a canal be less "congested" than the "geopolitically sensitive Strait of Malacca"?

 

 

[connda]

1 hour ago, retarius said:

There's any awful lot of snouts in this trough.

That's the problem.  Corruption makes it untenable.

[bamnutsak]

And any savings in shipping time would be erased by wait times to traverse the canal.

 

 

 

Vessel wait times at Panama Canal increased more than 40% in August

 

The limitations have led to bottlenecks at both ends of the canal, pushed up freight tariffs and forced some vessels to divert to avoid delivery delays, especially those that do not have priority to pass.

 

Waiting time averaged 8.85 days for southbound transit and 9.44 days for northbound passage in August, from 5.56 days and 6.55 days, respectively, in July, according to data from the Panama Canal Authority.

 

 

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/vessel-wait-times-panama-canal-increased-more-than-40-august-2023-09-02/

[ChrisY1]

2 hours ago, connda said:

The canal would pay for itself.

If it ever got completed....it would never become profitable.

China would likely build it and crush Thailand with endless debt

[mfd101]

33 minutes ago, ChrisY1 said:

China would likely build it and crush Thailand with endless debt

Yes, PLAN would love it (though only if it had right of way over all other traffic) ...

[redwood1]

Folks the perfect plan...First have a few people buy up the land and sell it to the state at 10X cost....Then build about 10-15% before a whole bunch of cost overruns.....Then have the construction companies declare bankruptcy but after all, profits are removed..

 

Everybody gets rich for very little work.....

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, connda said:

The canal would pay for itself.

China would no doubt provide funds, with years a century of concessions to follow.

[Crossy]

Surely, if they cut through the isthmus then Malaysia will drift off into the Indian Ocean taking Singapore with it?

[ignore it]

Great idea.

This can be part of the Belt and Road scheme.

China can loan Thailand the money. China can send the workers. China maybe can even manage the canal traffic.

 

Great news for Thailand.

 

Nah, nobody is that stupid.

 

Nah, on second thought maybe...

 

[zzaa09]

6 hours ago, retarius said:

Great idea, but not innovative, sustainable or costly enough. There's any awful lot of snouts in this trough. 

Of course.

But, ultimately, one would have to ask what creatures might benefit greatly a/o hold control over such boondoggle mega-projects in which are wholly subsidized by the public trust, yet any such returns to the commons are nominal [if any at all].

[PETERTHEEATER]

2 hours ago, Crossy said:

Surely, if they cut through the isthmus then Malaysia will drift off into the Indian Ocean taking Singapore with it?

Great. I hadn't considered that. The saving on deleting rail and road bridges could go towards the canal. The Thai southern Provinces could have their own home state. The canal would not need locks.....Wait a minute........🥺

[Crossy]

Required reading: - The Adventures of the Floating Pumice Island by Enid Blyton, first published in 1942.

 

It tells the story of a pumice island that has been fitted with engines during World War II and is being used to transport vital supplies to Allied forces around the world. The island is captained by a brave and resourceful young woman named Mary, and together with her crew, she faces many dangers and adventures on their journey.

 

It was read on Jackanory by dame Judi Dench in 1976 which is where I remember it from (my kids watched it).

 

 

[CartagenaWarlock]

6 hours ago, connda said:

That's the problem.  Corruption makes it untenable.

There was also widespread corruption during the Panama Canal construction. 

[connda]

6 hours ago, bamnutsak said:

And any savings in shipping time would be erased by wait times to traverse the canal.

 

 

 

Vessel wait times at Panama Canal increased more than 40% in August

 

The limitations have led to bottlenecks at both ends of the canal, pushed up freight tariffs and forced some vessels to divert to avoid delivery delays, especially those that do not have priority to pass.

 

Waiting time averaged 8.85 days for southbound transit and 9.44 days for northbound passage in August, from 5.56 days and 6.55 days, respectively, in July, according to data from the Panama Canal Authority.

 

 

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/vessel-wait-times-panama-canal-increased-more-than-40-august-2023-09-02/

The Panama Canal is current backed up do to droughts and the low water level in Gatun Lake.  This isn't a normal year. 

[scottiejohn]

30 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Required reading: - The Adventures of the Floating Pumice Island by Enid Blyton, first published in 1942.

 

It tells the story of a pumice island that has been fitted with engines during World War II and is being used to transport vital supplies to Allied forces around the world. The island is captained by a brave and resourceful young woman named Mary, and together with her crew, she faces many dangers and adventures on their journey.

 

It was read on Jackanory by dame Judi Dench in 1976 which is where I remember it from (my kids watched it).

 

 

What about the WW11 "Iceberg aircraft Carrier" project Project Habakkuk - Wikipedia

[bradiston]

Building 2 immense terminals, one at each end, and linking them by road and rail? Is that really going to save any time? Unload, load, unload, load. Imagine the manpower required! The fuel costs. Will it be unionized to meet international standards? Health and safety? Andaman Islands and all western seaboard totally ruined. Tourism collapses. Thailand bankrupt. You read it here first.

[bamnutsak]

14 hours ago, connda said:

The Panama Canal is current backed up do to droughts and the low water level in Gatun Lake.  This isn't a normal year. 

 

So there wouldn't be any similar drought with the Kra Isthmus Canal? It's called Dry Season for a reason.

 

And "normal" (pre-drought) wait times at the Panama Canal already exceed any benefits vs. Straits of Malacca.

 

Canal: Never

Land Bridge: see above

 

 

[BE88]

This project was completed incorrectly in wanting to copy the Suez Canal and there are two reasons, while in the Suez Canal the material had to be removed which was mainly sand, in the case of Thailand mountains of rock would have to be removed with incalculable costs.

The least expensive and most quickly built solution is only the bridge where it can be foreseen in the projects that will allow high-speed trains direction Ranong.

[SoilSpoil]

This canal or land bridge will destroy prime rain forests, and will have a devastating effect on Ko Payam, Ko Chang, Surin NP and Laem Son NP. 

 

Better visit the Surin islands while you can as business interests are threatening its beauty.