BANGKOK, THAILAND – Thailand’s flagship land bridge megaproject faced fresh uncertainty after the transport minister ordered a new review of its feasibility study amid rising public and political opposition.
Minister ordered feasibility study review
Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn instructed the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) to revise its assessment of the proposed land bridge. He cited ongoing protests from local residents and a major political party against the 997-billion-baht scheme.
“The results must be clarified once again.”
said Phiphat, adding that what would have been one of the largest infrastructure investments in Thailand’s history was now being fundamentally questioned.
Plan aimed to bypass Malacca Strait
The project was designed as a logistical land-sea corridor linking the Gulf of Thailand with the Andaman Sea. Its core elements included new deep-sea ports in Chumphon on the gulf side and Ranong on the Andaman side. The land bridge was intended to offer an alternative to the congested Malacca Strait near Singapore, with backers saying ships from Europe or the Middle East could save up to four days of travel time by unloading in Ranong, moving cargo overland and reloading it onto vessels in the gulf.
Funding through public–private partnership
The government did not plan to finance the nearly one trillion baht cost, roughly 25 billion euros, on its own. Instead, it proposed a public–private partnership to attract private investors through a tender process to provide technology and trade networks.
“The state does not have enough budget,”
said Phiphat, stressing that the project’s profitability would have to be convincing for private partners, since the government alone lacked both the funds and the necessary know-how.
Promised jobs and new industrial zones
Supporters highlighted the potential economic boost in the coastal regions, arguing the land bridge could create up to 300,000 new jobs. They also expected follow-on industries in logistics, consumer goods, fresh produce and fuel to cluster around planned industrial zones near the ports. On the Andaman side in Ranong, however, there were no plans for a refinery or petrochemical plant, and the industrial layout on the gulf side was now being revised in light of the renewed scrutiny.
Political legacy under growing scrutiny
The land bridge was a political legacy project that had been under examination since 2023 and promoted by previous administrations. The Bhumjaithai Party of Minister Phiphat signalled it would push the scheme forward if it joined a future government, viewing it as a potential economic “game changer.” Yet opposition from environmental groups and local communities was increasing, with critics warning of irreversible damage. The new study was tasked with addressing all outstanding concerns, or potentially forcing the project to be abandoned altogether.