Thailand Pushes ‘Land Bridge’ to Speed Trade

[LivingNThailand]

I used to import goods from Asia into the United States.  There are several other issues to consider here.  When a container ship docks in a foreign country, it has to go through some customs procedures, which can take a day or two.  Also, at least in the US, the containers are all X-rayed.  Not sure if they do that here.  Then there have to be enough trucks with cassis available for each container ship.  These are not always available right away, delaying some or all of the containers even further.  Not all the containers will necessarily need to be offloaded at the land bridge, so this would have to be sorted out somehow.  When arriving at the other side of the land bridge, there will be some sort of customs paperwork that will be needed to comply with going to the next foreign port.

 

Now, does the container ship turn around at this point or go forward?  What about the new containers that need to be loaded onto the ship, or is this just a one way deal and the ships go back empty?   This is a logistical nightmare.

 

That and all the other "negative" aspects everyone else has mentioned point to a very long shipment time.  Something no importer wants.  A  couple of days delayed in Singapore is much more desirable in a businessperson's mind and pocketbook.

[bradiston]

5 minutes ago, bradiston said:

Any sources for this latter statement? I couldn't find any.

I did find this though

 

https://www.dw.com/en/how-chinese-workers-in-nigeria-cause-controversy/a-67802241

 

But it seems to be a persistent rumour put out for political reasons with no actual proof.

[bradiston]

3 minutes ago, LivingNThailand said:

I used to import goods from Asia into the United States.  There are several other issues to consider here.  When a container ship docks in a foreign country, it has to go through some customs procedures, which can take a day or two.  Also, at least in the US, the containers are all X-rayed.  Not sure if they do that here.  Then there have to be enough trucks with cassis available for each container ship.  These are not always available right away, delaying some or all of the containers even further.  Not all the containers will necessarily need to be offloaded at the land bridge, so this would have to be sorted out somehow.  When arriving at the other side of the land bridge, there will be some sort of customs paperwork that will be needed to comply with going to the next foreign port.

 

Now, does the container ship turn around at this point or go forward?  What about the new containers that need to be loaded onto the ship, or is this just a one way deal and the ships go back empty?   This is a logistical nightmare.

 

That and all the other "negative" aspects everyone else has mentioned point to a very long shipment time.  Something no importer wants.  A  couple of days delayed in Singapore is much more desirable in a businessperson's mind and pocketbook.

Thailand can't undertake this alone. It doesn't have the expertise or resources. A feasibility study from independent consultants would be a start.

[LivingNThailand]

6 minutes ago, bradiston said:

Thailand can't undertake this alone. It doesn't have the expertise or resources. A feasibility study from independent consultants would be a start.

Yes, but they have been "talking" about this for a long time.  I just don't see it working at all.  Too many components, too many people involved, too much red tape, too much everything.  In my humble opinion.   K.I.S.S.   Keep it Simple Stupid.  But seriously, I'm really glad I don't import and work with shipping companies anymore.  What a pain.

[jacko45k]

1 minute ago, LivingNThailand said:

Yes, but they have been "talking" about this for a long time.  I just don't see it working at all.  Too many components, too many people involved, too much red tape, too much everything.  In my humble opinion.   K.I.S.S.   Keep it Simple Stupid.  But seriously, I'm really glad I don't import and work with shipping companies anymore.  What a pain.

Well Panama and Suez were talked of and took their time, perhaps Thailand is just making noises in the hope someone will pop up and pay for it with not too many strings attached. 

[LivingNThailand]

1 minute ago, jacko45k said:

perhaps Thailand is just making noises in the hope someone will pop up and pay for it with not too many strings attached. 

Of course.  And it gives the Jolly Green Giant a reason to rack up his frequent flyer miles.    But I still don't see how it could work.  Not the way container shipping is now.  Maybe way in the future, in a galaxy far, far away--

 

[paulbrow]

Personally the "Land Bridge" makes no sense to me. However, a canal, call it "The Thailand Canal", seems like it would be very useful, a good income generator and would certainly save ships many miles.

[baansgr]

On 12/23/2023 at 11:33 AM, JGon said:

This makes zero sense to me.

 

First look at the topography of that area. The only area "feasible" (as in it would cost less) is where I put the red line. You are still cutting through 200 meter elevation of soil. Any other area you're cutting through Mountains! The canal would be roughly 70 km long. I highly doubt that would cost 28 Billion USD.  

 

Second... all this work for what?! To save a few hundred kilometers? Both the Panama Canal and Suez save thousands of kilometers (Weeks) from voyages. This Thailand proposal would be as long as the Panama Canal, but it doesn't have a lake in the middle which means even more digging and cost.

 

This will never happen!  

They can't build a canal without consent from the British the Anglo-Thai peace treaty put done to that

Edited December 25, 2023 by baansgr

[TroubleandGrumpy]

IMO this is viable and will probably go ahead - if/when China and India economies recover post Covid and they can pay/invest most of it.

Part canal and part rail/road - IMO definitely achievable and worth it for the smaller cargo ships - but not the huge ones - they will continue to go via the Mallacca Straits.  The Malacca Straits has about 300 ships per day - it is becomming more and more of a problem. China and India and many African countries are increasing their trade links - that alone makes it viable. Add to that the growing trade being undertaken between China and many African Nations, and it is even more viable.

 

But IMO there is no way that those countries investing in this will let this be done by Thailand. They will employ Thai labour but there is no way they will let Thais control and manage this project - the evbidence is all around you of all the failed/collapsing infrastructure projects run by Thais.  They wont admit it - but in the past this has been a major blocking point for this project - the uber wealthy Thais (you know who) want to control (and milk) the project.  Hopefully this new Thai Govt will just do what Panama and Suez Govts did - let the experts (China) manage and pay for everything - take the workers salaries (no cheap Myamars, Laos or Cambodians), and rake in the ongoing fees and taxes.     

[HaoleBoy]

8 hours ago, bradiston said:

Any sources for this latter statement? I couldn't find any.

 

You can search "Nigeria Chinese prisoners" for more info ...

[StayinThailand2much]

I wonder what would make such a 'land bridge' attractive. - Cargo transported, say, from Japan to Chumpon, loaded onto a train or trucks, then overland to Ranong, where another ship would have to wait in the harbour to take over the same cargo... Doesn't sound logical, unless, of course, you're striving for business from the PRC, which, in the case of a military conflict, might want to circumvent the Strait of Malacca... Have they asked the CCP whether they want to invest?

Edited December 25, 2023 by StayinThailand2much

[bradiston]

2 hours ago, HaoleBoy said:

 

You can search "Nigeria Chinese prisoners" for more info ...

Well, fair enough, I did, but it still looks like mostly rumour and smear. Nigeria is famous for it's massively corrupt political and financial systems. This is just fodder for infighting.

 

See below:

 

http://www.chinaafricarealstory.com/2010/08/chinese-prisoners-rumor-redux-south.html?m=1

 

 

[Elkski]

I think it is such a poor idea that the fact the PM even talked about this with investor's tells the World all they need to know about the Thai education system.  Maybe speaks to the DNA as well. 

Add in the known corruption, the condition of the average truck in Thailand, possible theft, delays, weather conditions on the Adaman side,  just crazy.  

But it must be nice to be hiso in Thailand with a simple thought process like this. 

 

[bradiston]

2 hours ago, Elkski said:

I think it is such a poor idea that the fact the PM even talked about this with investor's tells the World all they need to know about the Thai education system.  Maybe speaks to the DNA as well. 

Add in the known corruption, the condition of the average truck in Thailand, possible theft, delays, weather conditions on the Adaman side,  just crazy.  

But it must be nice to be hiso in Thailand with a simple thought process like this. 

 

Well, what's he got to lose. Even if you don't think Thailand is capable of researching, planning, designing and implementing a system to the specification, whatever it is, there might be players who are. That's business. Get nowhere by continually throwing it in the bin.

[JGon]

A lot of people need to do a little research on China... China as we used to know it (The manufacturing giant of the late 1990-2013) is no more. China peak a decade ago... Their military is peaking now but as other issues pushes them (debt, employment, foreign exodus, aging population, and most importantly the huge bubble they created by overbuilding) is in rapid decline.

 

Do you guys know that there is enough houses in China to hold their entire population 2 times over?! That's 3 billion homes. Entire ghost towns built to try to inflate the GDP, and keep things going. Those houses are paid for by the Chinese people at prices that are probably 10 times more than what the actual property values should be. Huge indebtedness by the entire country, a huge bubble, a catastrophe. 

 

China actual population and actual GDP is lower than is advertise because the CCP was basically trying to "save face" in front of the World. They're still the 2nd largest economy but much closer to Germany, Japan than it is to the US because they have been inflating their numbers since 2008. In the coming years this will be very evident...