There are many problems in this part of the world, two of them being the poverty in the South of Thailand, causing unrest in the Muslim part of those provinces, and the liklihood of attacks on shipping in the Molucca Straits, either by pirates or by terrorists.

So - why not build a shipping canal through Thailand, above the three muslim provinces - across Satun and Songkhla provinces?

This could be on the lines of the Panama Canal, with locks to raise / lower the vessels. Make the Southern provinces a Duty Free Enterprise Zone. Shipping uses the canals (built by local labour - more money for southern provinces) and avoids the very busy, very slow moving, very unprotected Molucca Straits.

Maybe this project would be a World Bank finance? It is a good idea, in my opinion.

it have been on the table before, it is deeper than just building the cannal, it will affect 4 to 5 different country, hardcore politics have to be involve.

Agreed.

Singapore might lose some trade, Malaysia and Indonesia will lose income from the pirates. But Thailand will gain immeasurably.

Separate the three Southern provinces from the rest of the country by the canal.

Give them a status different from the rest of LOS, by creating a Free Zone. (As with Hong Kong - Special Administrative Zone - own internal policies, foreign policy under central government, as a simplistic description)

Income to Thailand from canal fees.

Less possibility of terrorism in the Molucca Straits.

Medals on Cheerless Leaders chest.

Less possibility of more trouble from the pork-dodgers.

Go-go bars along the northern bank, mosques along the southern bank.

I knew about soapdodgers ... but porkdodgers as well. I love it