Committee Reviews Land Bridge Implementation Strategy
An evaluation subcommittee will meet July 3rd to assess the Land Bridge project's commercial viability and stakeholder concerns before submitting findings to the Prime Minister in August.
The Land Bridge project secretary revealed that an evaluation subcommittee will meet on Friday, July 3rd to assess project value and gather stakeholder input before submitting a report to the Prime Minister in August. Donucha Pichyanan, secretary-general of the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), announced that the subcommittee will convene to receive information from private sector experts and transportation academics, including shipping line representatives, to carefully gather opinions before presenting the report to the Prime Minister in August.
The subcommittee will focus on three key evaluation areas: (1) commercial feasibility, examining the reasonableness of projected cargo volumes; (2) transshipment capacity, analyzing the project's ability to attract shipping lines given existing competitive regional ports; and (3) operational performance, evaluating the cost, time, and efficiency of moving cargo between shores.
Office officials stressed that this large-scale project requires extensive preparation and meticulous evaluation at every stage, from feasibility assessment through the issuance of a private sector request for proposals (RFP). The committee acts as a neutral body gathering data from academic, private, and public sectors to reach conclusions reflecting reality as closely as possible.
Regarding public concerns about linking the project to the proposed Southern Economic Corridor (SEC) development law, the committee will assess whether new legislation is actually necessary, since existing laws may be adaptable. "The committee doesn't presume new laws are always required, as many current laws could potentially be modified," Donucha stated. "But that depends on whether the Land Bridge project proves financially viable."
The government emphasized its commitment to hearing public input, particularly from local residents, and to pursuing gradual, sustainable development that communities support. The committee has engaged with protest groups to incorporate their concerns into considerations of project and legal appropriateness, with legal issues to be included in the Prime Minister's report.
