BANGKOK, THAILAND – Thailand outlined plans for a Disneyland-style theme park and an 80,000-seat national stadium in its Eastern Economic Corridor to help make a new high-speed rail line financially viable.
Government targets EEC as tourism magnet
Transport Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn pushed ahead with plans to turn the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) into a new tourism hub. The strategy centred on two major projects designed to attract visitors from around the world and provide the missing draw for the planned high-speed line linking three airports.
“Since we do not have an entertainment complex, we have to create other forms of entertainment value,”
said Pipat, explaining the initiative.
Global-scale theme park under study
The first project was an international theme park of global scale, for which Pipat explicitly mentioned “Disneyland” as a potential investor. The park was planned on an area of no more than 3,000 Rai, or about 1,185 hectares, with the aim of making the EEC significantly more attractive for families and international tourists.
Feasibility studies were already under way, and the park was expected to form the core of a new tourism destination in eastern Thailand.
80,000-seat national stadium planned
The second flagship project was a national stadium built to world standards, with 80,000 seats, which would be the largest of its kind in the country. It was intended to host major sports events and mega concerts, easing the pressure on venues in Bangkok by shifting large-scale activities to the region east of the capital.
The EEC authority was instructed to secure additional land for the stadium, which officials said could be a game-changer for the national sports and events landscape.
High-speed rail profitability at the core
Behind the plans lay a clear economic rationale: the “magnet projects” were meant to underpin the high-speed rail line. The route, a multibillion-baht project connecting Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi and U-Tapao airports, required strong guarantees of passenger volumes from private investors.
“These developments are crucial to making the HSR project profitable,”
said Minister Pipat, adding that the attractions were expected to generate the required traffic.
Longer-term timeline and regional incentives
Pipat acknowledged that construction of these large-scale projects would not be completed during the current government’s term. However, he said the concepts needed to be discussed urgently with the EEC and private investors to prepare implementation in the next phase.
Authorities were tasked immediately with creating investment incentives in the four EEC provinces of Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Chachoengsao.
Competing in global tourism and events
With the proposals, Thailand positioned itself in tough global competition for tourists and international events, seeking to offer not only beaches but also top-tier entertainment. The vision was for a region that could compete with destinations such as Singapore, Hong Kong or Tokyo, though success would depend on financing and securing a leading investor.
Officials said the country aimed to turn the eastern seaboard into a new feel-good and experience-oriented metropolis of Southeast Asia, even as questions remained over whether the planned attractions would ultimately draw the expected crowds.