Malaysian academic says Thailand land bridge hinges on economics
Malaysian academic says Thailand land bridge hinges on economics — confirmed details at this stage for Phuket readers.
A Malaysian maritime academic said on May 5 that Thailand’s proposed land bridge will stand or fall on detailed studies, financing and political resolve, as debate over the project’s regional impact intensifies. The assessment, which also touched on port limits relevant to Phuket and other transport hubs, came after the Thai government renewed its push for the scheme, which has been framed as a major economic opportunity.
Nazery Khalid, a maritime transport and logistics specialist from Malaysia, said the proposed project carries both promise for beneficiaries and concern for those who could lose cargo traffic. He questioned whether domestic funding would be enough for the estimated 1 trillion baht investment and whether foreign investors from countries such as Singapore or China would join if the project cut against their own interests.
He said a Thai link between the Andaman coast and the Gulf of Thailand could reduce shipping time by 2-3 days by avoiding congestion in the Strait of Malacca, but only if the time saved justifies the price operators would have to pay.
Malaysia and Indonesia weigh risks and adaptation
Khalid said northern Malaysia is already building logistics capacity in Kedah and Perlis, including two inland ports and a container hub linked to the national rail operator. The facilities are intended to pull cargo from southern Thailand and northern Malaysia toward Penang instead of Laem Chabang, especially from SMEs producing food, textiles and components.
He said Indonesia could feel more threatened because cargo that now passes through its waters could be diverted, bypassing Tanjung Priok on Java. He added that vessel size, channel depth, transshipment design and port-call fees for major operators such as Maersk, Evergreen and COSCO would be decisive, and estimated a 90-kilometer project crossing mountains and forest with land expropriation, tunnels and bridges would likely take 5-10 years.
Source: https://www.prachachat.net/world-news/news-2000110
