Bt32-bn plan to improve Laem Chabang Port infrastructure

Nongnapas Maipanit

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Ministry of Transport plans to spend Bt32 billion to expand its road network to Laem Chabang Port to ease traffic and also increase the port's shipping container capacity.

Deputy Transport Minister Prasert Chantararuangthong said after an operations meeting that the move was part of a plan to improve infrastructure connecting to the port. Also, the plans are aimed at preparing the port for the Asean Economic Community in 2015, in the hope of increasing shipping efficiency.

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Under the plan, if it is an urgent project, funds will be used from the 2014 annual budget. If it is a big project, the budget will come from the Loan Act of Bt2 trillion.

Currently, 60,000 container trucks access Laem Chabang Port per day, leading to traffic congestion. As one of Thailand's major ports, the ministry intends to increase its capacity to 11 million twenty-foot-equivalent units of containers, up from the current 7 million TEU. This plan will be achieved by expanding both internal and external shipping networks of the port.

Meanwhile, the Department of Highways also has a plan to expand the road network to support the logistics system in the Eastern region and Laem Chabang Port with a total budget of about Bt29 billion. For example, it will expand the number of lanes on the road leading to the port from four to 14 with a budget of Bt2.5 billion. The Department of Rural Roads has plans for seven projects to construct a road connecting with the port.

At present, the port faces serious traffic problems on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. The problem is from the place where the tax document is issued, which is too close to the checking gate. Also, the e-toll system for vehicles has not worked completely.

Currently, road transport to the port makes up 90 per cent of the total, followed by 6 per cent by rail, and 4 per cent by water. The plan is that within 10 years, road transport to the port will represent 75 per cent of the total, followed by 15 per cent by rail and 10 per cent by water.

On average, at major ports worldwide road transport makes up 40 per cent while rail and water are 30 per cent each.

-- The Nation 2013-02-09

Currently, road transport to the port makes up 90 per cent of the total, followed by 6 per cent by rail, and 4 per cent by water. The plan is that within 10 years, road transport to the port will represent 75 per cent of the total, followed by 15 per cent by rail and 10 per cent by water.

On average, at major ports worldwide road transport makes up 40 per cent while rail and water are 30 per cent each.

So let's build more roads??????

Perhaps they can also get rid of the TAXI MAFIA that rules the port with an iron fist. If you arrive there on a cruise ship you will be met by a mafia that proudly displays their SET FARES at 50 usd one way to pattaya or 130 usd one way to bangkok....and forget about walking to the road to get a taxi that will use a meter as its more than a two mile walk...and even if you get a taxi the mafia will not allow them to drive you to the ship...not even motorcycle taxis are allowed in.

Cruise ship passengers who arrive at Laem Chabang are GOUGED big time and it leaves a very bad taste in their mouth for the "land of smiles" .....obviously the powers that be get a cut but unfortunately a lot of the passengers just stay on the ship rather than submit to the mafia. Welcome to the cruise port for Bangkok...bend over and grab your ankles please.

More roads that lead to nowhere are not the answer as they may well expand roads at the port but they would then feed into the already choked streets. Rail makes a mile more sense to decentralised areas outside the city for individual disbursement. It is also far less costly per kilometre of rail than road but then saving money has never been on the agenda, especially after the not so secret commissions skimmed off the top of the contracts. I also question the 60,000 trucks per day? 41 trucks per minute? The port is not that efficient...

32Billion...

There's sure some amazing, and continuous graft in operation with this current government.

They're spending money the country doesn't have, are bleeding it dry, and will step back with billions tidily packed away in each of their bank accounts just before Thailand, at this rate, becomes bankrupt!

Unbelievable that these repetitive and unnecessary ideas continue, and money is not spent where it is needed.

Such a shame for what could be an incredibly more beautiful country.

-mel.

More roads that lead to nowhere are not the answer as they may well expand roads at the port but they would then feed into the already choked streets. Rail makes a mile more sense to decentralised areas outside the city for individual disbursement. It is also far less costly per kilometre of rail than road but then saving money has never been on the agenda, especially after the not so secret commissions skimmed off the top of the contracts. I also question the 60,000 trucks per day? 41 trucks per minute? The port is not that efficient...

I could beleive the 41 trucks per minute as they are everywhere day and night and it does get choked around here

especially when everyone finishes work its a nightmare.

Isn't that part of the Godfather's territory?

Perhaps he needs more money for his hospital bills.

Currently, road transport to the port makes up 90 per cent of the total, followed by 6 per cent by rail, and 4 per cent by water. The plan is that within 10 years, road transport to the port will represent 75 per cent of the total, followed by 15 per cent by rail and 10 per cent by water.

On average, at major ports worldwide road transport makes up 40 per cent while rail and water are 30 per cent each.

So let's build more roads??????

Just forget it: 4 % by water????

So the trucks bring goods and later the trucks take goods and nothing is loaded or uploaded from the big vessels which just stop there to have a drink?

Maybe it means domestic transportation?

More roads that lead to nowhere are not the answer as they may well expand roads at the port but they would then feed into the already choked streets. Rail makes a mile more sense to decentralised areas outside the city for individual disbursement. It is also far less costly per kilometre of rail than road but then saving money has never been on the agenda, especially after the not so secret commissions skimmed off the top of the contracts. I also question the 60,000 trucks per day? 41 trucks per minute? The port is not that efficient...

I spent a two full days sitting on a cruise ship at laem chabang basically held captive by the taxi mafia....i can assure you for the 48 hours i was there looking out on all the containers there were no more than just a few trucks coming/going in a FULL DAY much less every 41 minutes....in fact i remarked it was one of the quietest ports i have ever seen in over sixty cruises i have done around the world....the facilities are there but i did not see even ONE SINGLE crane loading or unloading ANYTHING. Perhaps the taxi mafia halted all unloading and loading operation so they wouldn't interfere with their fleecing of the cruise ship passengers? And i highly doubt that the taxi drivers are the ones who put $130 for a one way ride to bangkok into their pockets.....way to go Thai Tourism...you spend money to attract tourists and to attract more cruise ships then let a few connected guys skim and scam and screw the tourists. I'd sure like to get the profit on a $260 round trip taxi fare to Bangkok or $80 roundtrip fare to Pattaya. Maybe they sent some guys from Phuket up to Laem Chabang to teachem how to "maximize profits".

More roads that lead to nowhere are not the answer as they may well expand roads at the port but they would then feed into the already choked streets. Rail makes a mile more sense to decentralised areas outside the city for individual disbursement. It is also far less costly per kilometre of rail than road but then saving money has never been on the agenda, especially after the not so secret commissions skimmed off the top of the contracts. I also question the 60,000 trucks per day? 41 trucks per minute? The port is not that efficient...

I could beleive the 41 trucks per minute as they are everywhere day and night and it does get choked around here

especially when everyone finishes work its a nightmare.

You are right about the traffic. I live very near to the port. I remember when the port was just buffalo fields and a nice white sanded beach with a fishing village below the cliffs. I also remember all the go betweens coming down from Bangkok and offering land owners 500K baht for 1 rai. Some of those people could only dream of that sort of money back then. The buyers took the Title deeds back to the fat cats in Bangkok and the rest is history.

CCFC1

32Billion...

There's sure some amazing, and continuous graft in operation with this current government.

They're spending money the country doesn't have, are bleeding it dry, and will step back with billions tidily packed away in each of their bank accounts just before Thailand, at this rate, becomes bankrupt!

Unbelievable that these repetitive and unnecessary ideas continue, and money is not spent where it is needed.

Such a shame for what could be an incredibly more beautiful country.

-mel.

They are spending next years money, and aren't even sure yet that there will be any money next year. With all the taxi corruption at Laem Chabang, it's a disgrace to Thailand. But do you think they really care.. noooo... They have their head up their ass and their hands out. The Thai govt. could make this area a delight for tourists, resulting in more tourists and more business for the tourist industry instead a windfall for the taxi mafia. But does the Thai govt. care.. noooo... Talk about a test for honesty and a pact agains't bribery, here you go. All the money they are talking bout pouring into this port, some one is going to get richer...

in the 1980"s Melbourne had a huge number of trucks going 3000miles across to Perth . Now since the late nineties they have trains which can be 50 wagons long and refrigerated as well. I am sure they can do it here .

For example, it will expand the number of lanes on the road leading to the port from four to 14 with a budget of Bt2.5 billion. The Department of Rural Roads has plans for seven projects to construct a road connecting with the port.

Hope the new roads aren't going to be made of putty, like the current one.

SRT were in the process of doubling the single-line in/out of Laem Chabang, when I passed-by on the Pattaya-Hualampong Express (joke !) , a few years ago.

Progress of a sort, but a long way still to go.