NESDB Says It Has Never Studied Land Bridge, Only Opposed 'Thai Canal' Under Previous Government Due to Economic Inefficiency
The NESDB has never formally studied the land bridge project but previously rejected the Thai Canal as economically inefficient under the previous government. Officials are now reviewing the current land bridge proposal's structure and viab
On April 28, 2025, at Government House, Danucha Pichayanan, Secretary-General of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDB), clarified that while the NESDB had previously concluded that the land bridge project was not economically viable since the previous Prayut Chan-o-cha government, the agency has never actually conducted a serious study on the land bridge itself. Instead, during Prayut's tenure, the NESDB studied the 'Thai Canal' project at the request of the Prime Minister and Thai Canal Association to assess its potential benefits. The study compared the Thai Canal with the Southern Economic Corridor and the land bridge, concluding that the Thai Canal would yield the lowest benefits, followed by the land bridge, which would require massive investment but deliver limited returns without additional industrial development.
When compared to the Southern Economic Corridor, which includes industrial zones for light manufacturing and agricultural development, it would provide greater benefits. Danucha emphasized that the NESDB has never seriously studied the land bridge project. When pressed about whether the Thai Canal project was unviable, he confirmed that preliminary studies indicated it would not break even.
Regarding the government's current advancement of the land bridge project, Danucha noted that the project structure, investment format, and projected benefits need careful comparison. He highlighted that Thailand currently lacks a western port for genuine cargo export—not small vessels or transshipment ports in Malaysia. He suggested that starting with a western port in Ranong and then expanding would be viable, depending on the project format. He stressed that the Transport Ministry has been studying this matter seriously for some time.
When asked whether studies would conclude the project is worthwhile and appropriate, Danucha said he cannot yet answer that, as the project components, details, and procedural steps need further review. However, when asked his personal recommendation, he stated: "Currently, the western side has no real export port for genuine cargo export. If we had a true port connected to industrial areas that could ship goods to India, the Middle East, and Europe, and if we could divert goods from Laem Chabang to export through a western port, it would benefit the country."
