Transport Ministry Launches Southern Master Plan With 112 Hearings

Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiet chaired the first meeting of the Southern Region Development Master Plan Committee for fiscal year 2027 on October 30, 2026, at the Ministry of Transport. The plan covers 14 southern provinces and aims to set development directions suited to each province's potential while addressing structural constraints such as infrastructure access inequality, high transport and logistics costs, and lack of integration among government agencies.

The study will review policies and mega-projects from the past 20 years, analyze regional potential, and formulate future scenarios, strategies, and project action plans covering both infrastructure and management measures. Public participation is central, with 112 hearings scheduled across all 14 provinces to gather input.

Funded by the 2027 central budget, the 12-month study involves 17 expert positions. The consultancy contract is expected to be signed in March 2027, with completion by January 2028. The meeting also reviewed a Strategic Environmental Assessment for Songkhla and Pattani provinces, conducted by the National Economic and Social Development Council and Prince of Songkla University, which emphasizes natural resources, environment, society, culture, high-value tourism, education, and healthcare.

The master plan will serve as a key framework aligning investment and infrastructure policies with national strategy, the national economic and social development plan, public needs, and the broader economic, social, environmental, and security context. Deputy Minister Siripong directed the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning to revise the draft TOR by extending the study to 12 months and sharpening the focus on economic, social, and environmental potential analysis.