Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit confirms that the Land Bridge megaproject connecting the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea is still being pursued, with China and Middle Eastern countries showing an interest.
Mr Suriya, also a deputy prime minister, said on Monday that the government remains committed to pushing forward the 1 trillion-baht flagship project.
In recent months, the minister staged an overseas roadshow to promote the megaproject to potential investors.
Several companies in the Middle East and China have expressed an interest. Among them was Dubai Port World, which showed a strong intention to participate in the bidding process, he said.
According to Mr Suriya, the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) has been formulating a Southern Special Economic Development Zone (SEC) Bill.
As required by law, the bill was posted on Friday on the OTP website for 30 days, ahead of a public hearing and official seminar involving stakeholders to be held in Bangkok and Surat Thani next month.
Once all the feedback is summarised, the SEC bill will be submitted to the Ministry of Transport for review.
The government expects to put the bill to the cabinet for approval in May before forwarding it to parliament.
Mr Suriya is confident the SEC Bill will be approved and come into effect this year, paving the way for the bidding process next year.
According to him, discussions have already been held between the government and investors.
This will help determine the Terms of Reference (TOR) to ensure the bidding process draws both international and Thai investors, Mr Suriya said.
The Land Bridge is a key infrastructure project the government is determined to implement to connect two seaports, modernise maritime transport and enhance Thailand’s competitiveness in the global economy.
It will follow a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, allowing the private sector to invest in construction and management under a 50-year concession.
The private sector will be responsible for the entire project, including developing Chumphon Port into a modern deep-sea port to serve as an economic bridge between the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand.
It also involves upgrading Ranong Port into a freight container port and a trade gateway for the Andaman side connecting ports in South Asia under the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) framework, as well as with the Middle East and Africa.
According to the OTP, the SEC Bill is essential for establishing the main agency for development planning, land use management and industrial zoning.
