News Forum - BJT’s ambitious plan to creating a ‘land bridge’ to boost economic growth in southern Thailand

[Thaiger]

The Bhumjaithai Party in Thailand vows to push forward with the development of a “land bridge” connecting the Andaman Sea with the Gulf of Thailand, which they believe will stimulate economic growth in the South. Itthidet Supong, spokesperson for Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul, stated that Anutin is particularly keen on constructing an overland freight route, …

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[Pompies]

Guess which construction company would benefit from a massive infrastructure project! Such schemes as this were common in the industrial revolution a couple of centuries ago and were quickly proved to be unworkable because transshipment is slow, expensive and delivers little or no additional speed benefit. Shipping companies will not be interested in anything that adds to their costs as they are already operating on paper thin margins, but when did reality apply to Anutin.

[Viggen840]

42 minutes ago, Pompies said:

Guess which construction company would benefit from a massive infrastructure project! Such schemes as this were common in the industrial revolution a couple of centuries ago and were quickly proved to be unworkable because transshipment is slow, expensive and delivers little or no additional speed benefit. Shipping companies will not be interested in anything that adds to their costs as they are already operating on paper thin margins, but when did reality apply to Anutin.

Damn, KR! You beat me to it!!! As soon as I saw the party and then the dreaded long-tailed's name I thought the same thing. Given his reputation for shoddy work on government contracts so far, he would have to recuse himself from any bids, surely... oh - T.I.T. :)

[Rookiescot]

China will be pushing for this in order to start avoiding the Malacca strait which in the event of hostilities the US will close.

So funding may be coming from them. In which case expect a lot of the contracts to go to Chinese construction companies.

[KaptainRob]

15 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

China will be pushing for this in order to start avoiding the Malacca strait which in the event of hostilities the US will close.

So funding may be coming from them. In which case expect a lot of the contracts to go to Chinese construction companies.

This a 'land bridge' not a canal, the latter being even more of a pipedream.

No real advantage to China in my opinion as docking, off-loading, transit by truck and re-loading, all costs money and probably saves very little time.  It would be an advantage for imports and exports to Thailand, Burma, Cambodia and Vietnam with smaller vessels supplying goods for on-shipping to Europe.

[Rookiescot]

13 minutes ago, KaptainRob said:

This a 'land bridge' not a canal, the latter being even more of a pipedream.

No real advantage to China in my opinion as docking, off-loading, transit by truck and re-loading, all costs money and probably saves very little time.  It would be an advantage for imports and exports to Thailand, Burma, Cambodia and Vietnam with smaller vessels supplying goods for on-shipping to Europe.

Aye but the fact is even as a land bridge it would be very difficult for the US to close it with Thailand being "neutral" in any escalation in tensions with China. Longer or shorter is not the issue.

[Viggen8408]

1 hour ago, Rookiescot said:

China will be pushing for this in order to start avoiding the Malacca strait which in the event of hostilities the US will close.

So funding may be coming from them. In which case expect a lot of the contracts to go to Chinese construction companies.

First step on the way to belt and road? You might be right, but rest assured Nu will want his percentage, either from contract or under the table

[TheDirtyDurian]

Dual track railway through there. Good luck with that. That's some serious hills.

[palooka]

2 hours ago, TheDirtyDurian said:

Dual track railway through there. Good luck with that. That's some serious hills.

15,000 Chinese will do it chop chop.