This is really a excellent idea and should have been done long ago.... So silly not to have already competed this project. Congratulations to him for his push forward. The benefits are there. Will unite what some may call countries LOL. Also create some local employment. BUT PLEASE KIND SIR. Make sure the ferry driver is actually human and licenced and trained sea worthy captain.. NOT A PATTAYA COWBOY. who knows some local BIB and drinks whisky

It's almost always a matter for concern when Thais propose to speed anything up. Corners will be cut.

Ferries will capsize here for sure. They will not stop just because of rough seas. They are greedy and only care about money and not safety.

I'm surprised it only cuts the journey by 1/2. Doesn't sound like a very fast ferry!

Lets float this one and see if it sinks? From the Ideas Team.

At least its a good idea to organise a lunch or a few days in Hua Hin then over to Pattaya to discuss?

A super fast train maybe a better and safer idea?

If there is no economic benefit to a couple of piers and a rented ferry boat then the infrastructure costs for high speed rail sure won't work. that much I know for sure. My personal circumstances make it a very desirable travel option for family reasons. The other one could be Pattaya or Sri Racha to Surat Thani via Koh Samui. That would be a possibility & possibly have more appeal as it cuts out a huge road trip. Depends on what local freight could move between those ports as to the viability. Shortish bus ride to Phuket.

There are existing piers in Cham Am and Hua Hin.

Why not include Samui in a triangular run,

one ferry goes one way and the other goes the inverse.

It would greatly increase the potential customer base.

Getting from Samui to Pattaya is impossible with any kind of baggage

except via the long, long land route through Bangkok.

Kindred spirit. I was suggesting Pattaya/Sri Racha to Surat Thani via Koh Samui etc. There is of course a train to Surat Thani.

And and and remember! !!!

We must get all these projects signed and sealed before the new government (that can be scrutinised ) gets elected.

We wouldn't want to pass on those checking burdens, now would we praJin? ?

There may have been some doubts over the viability some years ago but tourism Thailand has changed a lot since then. We are now talking about linking two very important Tourist areas which in themselves will generate additional business with links to the South and easier access to the Eastern Gulf to Trat and the Cambodian sunshine coast.

l

At the moment the Gulf of Thailand's potential is hardly being tapped from western gulf ports and there is are many possibilities to make ferry connections from Surat Thani to other Islands on the Eastern side and to Sihanoukville Cambodia and Vietnam's Phu Quoc.

I don't see much demand from folks who want to go from Pattaya to Cha-Am. Perhaps it may benefit cruise liners.

New sea routes to boost tourism planned

The private sector plans to introduce catamaran ferries to transport both passengers and vehicles.

The ship can travel up to 82 kilometres an hour and can accommodate up to 450 passengers and 33 cars.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/new-sea-routes-to-boost-tourism-planned

-- Thai PBS 2015-04-17

WHAT? 82kmh? In Thailand? With a ship?

This was done a few years ago by a private company Mermaid Cruises. They gave it up in December 2011 as it wasn't making money.

http://www.thailand-huahin.com/ferry-huahin-pattaya-timetables.html

Consulting them might speed up the study.

Hua Hin Pattaya Ferry
A new ferry service is now operating between Hua Hin and Pattaya, it is scheduled to run two days a week (Monday and Friday). The trip takes 3 hours 15 minutes.




Prices are as follows:
One way - 2,100 THB
Return - 4,000 THB
Child - 1,250 THB (2,000 Return)
Family (2 adults 2 children) - 5,500 THB (10,500 Return)
Parcel Service - 350 THB

Please call us for more information and latest updates on 032 632223 or 084 800 7400. More info: Hua Hin Pattaya Ferry.

They need a roll on -roll off ferry. That way they can rollon the drunk sexpats from HuaHin returning from Pattaya.

Drove from Pattaya today. Took exactly 4 hours from door to door. Ferry will be a white elephant

Please ... do ... not ... do ... this.

Please.

You gave them Pattaya .. a once wonderful beach and area .. Please do not send these rats to Cha - Am.

it is lovely, peaceful, very "Thai" ... and within easy reach of BKK.

Why do the vermin get the best beaches? Why?

Isn't there enough cheap sex, booze, drugs and mischief in the numerous Red Light Sois of BKK, that hell hole of Pattaya, and the national embarrassment Phuket has become?

How can one possibly whine about "Quality Tourists" then create a new Pattaya?

This is a national disgrace and if it becomes a reality ... truly reveals what Thailand wants.

So if your desire is becoming the laughing stock of the world where the only way out of poverty is providing cheap sex and booze to Foreigners .. go for it.

But please ... don't bore us further with your "high brow" ethics and concern for the People.

Do you really want the entire world to think that Thailand is a synonym for "Whore house" ?

Really?

Was there talk of adding Sihanouk Ville on the route at one point ? Heard something while there about a connecting ferry.

Wonder how they will go about getting data for the study.

Please ... do ... not ... do ... this.

Please.

You gave them Pattaya .. a once wonderful beach and area .. Please do not send these rats to Cha - Am.

it is lovely, peaceful, very "Thai" ... and within easy reach of BKK.

Why do the vermin get the best beaches? Why?

Isn't there enough cheap sex, booze, drugs and mischief in the numerous Red Light Sois of BKK, that hell hole of Pattaya, and the national embarrassment Phuket has become?

How can one possibly whine about "Quality Tourists" then create a new Pattaya?

This is a national disgrace and if it becomes a reality ... truly reveals what Thailand wants.

So if your desire is becoming the laughing stock of the world where the only way out of poverty is providing cheap sex and booze to Foreigners .. go for it.

But please ... don't bore us further with your "high brow" ethics and concern for the People.

Do you really want the entire world to think that Thailand is a synonym for "Whore house" ?

Really?

Thai people like to destroy their jewels ; I have personally known Karon beach with nobody and empty; as I said above, Peuk tian is a sort of jewel too

I live in Cha am and it changes very fast , new buildings at every corner : in 5 years, completely destroyed like Pukhet

Govt orders speeding up of Pattaya-Cha-am-Hua Hin ferry project

Why?

All other ferry transits in the region have been deserted ages ago for the cheaper bus option.

Must be just a "wank" from from some newly appointed sub section of the "Govt"

This is getting ready for the 25 million Chinese TAT said they want to bring in over the next 4 years. Someone is going to make a fortune on this.

What about putting Bangkok as a destination / departure point on this plan ?

As far as I know this is the 3rd attempt, but it could be the 4th, and they all failed within the first month.

Posts containing offensive remarks have been removed as well as the replies.

Here is my thought:

People generally go to EITHER Pattaya or Hua Hin /CHa Am from Bangkok or another area of Thailand. Do they really want to go o both? Personally I doubt there would be much business at all!

They stated it takes 6 - 7 hours to get from Pattaya to Hua Hin. I have taken a bus from Pattaya to Bangkok and it takes a little more than 1 hour, and less time at night. I have taken a bus from Bangkok to Hua Hin, and that takes about 3.5 hours with less time at night. Both modes of travel have a similar degree of danger, but some people get sea sick more than others. Cheers and be well.

I would use it if it were quick enough and convenient enough. However, it will not be either of those things. 3hours is not very quick. I'm guessing there would only be 2 sailings a day at best.

Probably won't be all that inexpensive compared to alternatives either.

They stated it takes 6 - 7 hours to get from Pattaya to Hua Hin. I have taken a bus from Pattaya to Bangkok and it takes a little more than 1 hour, and less time at night. I have taken a bus from Bangkok to Hua Hin, and that takes about 3.5 hours with less time at night. Both modes of travel have a similar degree of danger, but some people get sea sick more than others. Cheers and be well.

Pretty sure It's more than an hour to just about anywhere in BKK by bus. Takes 1hr 45min just to the airport by bus. Haven't taken the BKK bus in awhile but I think it's over 2 hours to Ekamai.

Oh, good! Now we can all look forward to the weekly ferryboat accidents and start a new stat sheet for drowning victims.

Why would that be?Samai ferry goes ok,every day.You just stick to the roads mate with your stats sheet.The smarter blokes will go by sea.

What genius came up with the terminal points?

Ferry from Pattaya to Hua Hin ............ but it does not to Hua Hin and instead goes to Patchaburi

I can see the taxis and tuk tuk already lining up to rip of travellers

With RORO,tuk tuk wont be happy.Meter taxi's,what's the problem.

I'm surprised it only cuts the journey by 1/2. Doesn't sound like a very fast ferry!

Yeah,but cuts the stress by 100%.

"He recalled that the ferry project had been studied by the Marine Department since 2012, but revived after the NCPO has made clear its police to link sea travel between the two coasts to boost tourism."

Sh!t I hope the police don't have anything to do with it :-(

Would the 2 failed previous attempts not constitute a reasonable study?

Anyhow, getting on a ferry at Pattaya and travelling out of sight of land would worry me.

There are existing piers in Cham Am and Hua Hin.

Why not include Samui in a triangular run,

one ferry goes one way and the other goes the inverse.

It would greatly increase the potential customer base.

Getting from Samui to Pattaya is impossible with any kind of baggage

except via the long, long land route through Bangkok.

Makes more sense.