Laem Chabang To Be Marine Traffic Control Centre

[george]

Laem Chabang designated as marine traffic control centre

CHONBURI: -- The Department of Marine Transport today unveiled a Bt1 billion programme to develop marine traffic control systems, including the development of the Laem Chabang Port in Thailand's eastern province of Chonburi as a marine traffic control centre.

The move comes after the recent signing of an agreement between the department and the Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Ltd. on the development of marine traffic control and safety systems to bring Thailand in line with International Maritime Organization (IMO) standards.

Today Mr. Preecha Petchawong, the department’s director-general, said that the main centre of operations would be based at the Chonburi port of Laem Chabang, with subsidiary centres in other locations, including Phuket, Songkhla and Ranong in the South and Mabtaphut in the eastern Rayong Province.

The Laem Chabang centre will be fitted with state-of-the art AIS communications equipment capable of making detailed examinations of ships entering Thai waters.

Mr. Preecha said that the establishment of a control system was vital in order to prevent future shipping confusion as more ships ply Thai waters to cope with soaring rates of import and export.

The new system will enable the department to determine the nationality of vessels, their cargoes, the number of their crews and other details.

Mr. Preecha said that the system would prove particularly useful in determining whether vessels were carrying cargoes of illegal goods.

“If we find any irregularities, we will be able to immediately prevent them entering the Thai territory”, he said.

The scheme is likely to take 6 months to implement, at a cost of over Bt1 billion.

--TNA 2005-02-22