webfact Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 No Deal: 'Kra Canal' remains a pipe-dream for nowBy Coconuts BangkokBANGKOK: -- Word of a sudden Thai-Chinese deal to cut a shipping channel across the south Thailand evaporated quickly today.A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesmen today disspelled media reports in his country that the two nations had agreed in principal to construct a THB941 billion (USD28 billion) canal across the Isthmus of Kra in southern Thailand as a new shipping route to shortcut the Straight of Malacca.Spokesman Hong Lei repreated comments made by the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok, reiterating China has not taken any role in the long-dreamed-of project, according to The Straights Times.Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2015/05/20/no-deal-kra-canal-remains-pipe-dream-now-- Coconuts Bangkok 2015-05-20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khwaibah Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 So the PM's comment a few weeks back to the people of Thung Bu Lang area not to protest or interfere in any work for this project and the just approved expansion of the Trang airport has nothing to do with this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddavidovsky Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 (edited) What's the chance that someone in government sees that wildly inaccurate map and decides to build a canal there instead? Edited May 20, 2015 by ddavidovsky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wileycoyote Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Disappointing But considering the current economic situation realistic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil B Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 (edited) So it is built at the cost of nearly 100 Billion Bahts or as many Thai projects go, a hell of a lot more... What's to stop Malaysia suddenly deciding the peninsular is their's??? Edited May 20, 2015 by Basil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12DrinkMore Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Won't happen. Too much money flowing from Singapore has prevented this project from moving. It would be a devastating blow to the Singapore shipping industry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedsada3 Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 As far as I remember, there was an agreement between Thailand and the British Empie not to build that canal. In 189?, Rama V signed an agreement not to build a new water way to India to protect the importance of the harbour of Singapore and in counter part the British would respect the limits of the Thai territory. Was that agreement cancelled ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Estrada Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 No matter what the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok may say, watch this space. One of the PMs advisors who has served with me on two previous Consultancies for the Kra Isthmus Canal Project, went to China with the PM and they discussed the project with the Chinese PM and Government officials. They were interested "in principle" with the project which they view as part of their Silk Road from China to the Indian Ocean, by passing Singapore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hgma Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 The mapping is totally of line....Isthmus of Kra is next to Ranong and it has the smallest borderline with Burma. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man River Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Won't happen. Too much money flowing from Singapore has prevented this project from moving. It would be a devastating blow to the Singapore shipping industry. The Malacca Straits are close to their limit already and this would be 10 years away. The canal could have some military benefits for China as it assumes they would finance it and retain some of the operating control. However, this project may never come to fruition. The project to watch is the Port Bara port, when constructed, being linked to the port in Songkhla via oil and land bridges. That will help Thailand, especially when linked north and south via rail. It will also give China a reliable avenue to transport its oil shipments from the ME without going through the pirate invested waters near the Malacca Straits. BTW, Singapore makes more money from usage of its ports than transportation fees through the Straits. Hence, this much smaller undertaking could affect Singapore's ports, but I doubt they are that worried. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asiamaster Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 The mapping is totally of line....Isthmus of Kra is next to Ranong and it has the smallest borderline with Burma. You are correct about the name but it does look like the digging of a canal would more feasible further south due too lesser altitude of the mountain range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man River Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 As far as I remember, there was an agreement between Thailand and the British Empie not to build that canal. In 189?, Rama V signed an agreement not to build a new water way to India to protect the importance of the harbour of Singapore and in counter part the British would respect the limits of the Thai territory. Was that agreement cancelled ? No, the British Empire was canceled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trogers Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Won't happen. Too much money flowing from Singapore has prevented this project from moving. It would be a devastating blow to the Singapore shipping industry. Won't happen but due to another reason. Thai customs do not work 24/7... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinglife Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 So it is built at the cost of nearly 100 Billion Bahts or as many Thai projects go, a hell of a lot more... What's to stop Malaysia suddenly deciding the peninsular is their's??? The map shown is wrong, the actual location for this would be Ranong in the West to Chumphon in the West, so no danger of Malaysia or Islamist rebels getting involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredNL Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 The mapping is totally of line....Isthmus of Kra is next to Ranong and it has the smallest borderline with Burma. Since when can Thai read a map ??? Even when using a gps system they can't find their way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 If the powers that be do not pull their heads out of their arse ...No worries about a canal ...This will be the map soon enough ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilli42 Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 I wonder what the net global economic benefit of this canal would be? Something close to zero I would guess. China has demonstrated will, determination and a long term self interest view in most of its internal and foreign investments. Not surprised that they won't touch this with a barge pole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony5 Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 As far as I remember, there was an agreement between Thailand and the British Empie not to build that canal. In 189?, Rama V signed an agreement not to build a new water way to India to protect the importance of the harbour of Singapore and in counter part the British would respect the limits of the Thai territory. Was that agreement cancelled ? You should know by now that in Thailand all agreements have 2 sides. One side that honors the agreement and another side that honors it if it suits them. Make a wild guess which of both sides is Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevensg Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 So later on the southern part of the canal can go to Malaysia or be their own country. They can be a Islamic country with support of Malaysia and Indonesia, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratcatcher Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 So it is built at the cost of nearly 100 Billion Bahts or as many Thai projects go, a hell of a lot more... What's to stop Malaysia suddenly deciding the peninsular is their's??? The map shown is wrong, the actual location for this would be Ranong in the West to Chumphon in the West, so no danger of Malaysia or Islamist rebels getting involved. Ranong in the West to Chumphon in the West east. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_Canal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonbridgebrit Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Won't happen. Too much money flowing from Singapore has prevented this project from moving. It would be a devastating blow to the Singapore shipping industry. Singapore, an island where the Chinese call themselves Singaporeans, and they've brought in a stack of foreign workers. Are they really that powerfull ? Do they really have enough muscle to prevent China building a canal that will take Singapore out of the equation regarding ships sailing from China to Europe ? I suppose they do........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendejo Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 I think the world powers, particularly China and the US in this case, are anticipating (if not planning) a long war in the South China Sea/western Pacific, centered around the disputed islands claimed by China and other countries. For years now China has been making aggressisve moves and Obama has been dropping hints (he even mentioned it in a State of the Union speech a few years ago). I think the only ASEAN members that would possibly side with China are Laos and Vietnam, possibly Thailand if the $$ was good. With this in mind, that map in the OP (whether practical or not) would offer China westward sea access, in the event that the Straits or other sea lanes through Indonesia are blocked to them. Of course Thailand must cooperate with them. I would assume the deal to build the canal would include free and unhindered passage for Chinese ships for the next hundred years, at least. But deals are easily broken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farang99 Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 What's the chance that someone in government sees that wildly inaccurate map and decides to build a canal there instead? That location in Trang/Patthalung must be twice the length of the Kra isthmus, north of Ranong! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cnbiz850 Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Won't happen. Too much money flowing from Singapore has prevented this project from moving. It would be a devastating blow to the Singapore shipping industry. Wouldn't money from China beat out Singapore money? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Deerhunter Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 As far as I remember, there was an agreement between Thailand and the British Empie not to build that canal. In 189?, Rama V signed an agreement not to build a new water way to India to protect the importance of the harbour of Singapore and in counter part the British would respect the limits of the Thai territory. Was that agreement cancelled ? No, the British Empire was canceled. And the demise of slow sailing ships means constant fresh provisioning is not required. Only ships that need to load or offload cargo in Singapore need to go there, not like the old days when reprovisioning was so important with slow ships, lots of crew to work the sails and no refrigeration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chao Lao Beach Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 Won't happen. Too much money flowing from Singapore has prevented this project from moving. It would be a devastating blow to the Singapore shipping industry. Won't happen but due to another reason. Thai customs do not work 24/7... But with the canel, there may be bribe money now avaible .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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