Transport Ministry Tackles Laem Chabang Port Traffic With Three-Phase Plan

Deputy Transport Minister Sampatched Bunyamani chaired a progress meeting on September 17 on resolving traffic congestion at Laem Chabang Port, attended by Veerayut Gamjit, assistant secretary to the transport minister, and Port Authority officials. Since implementing systematic traffic measures, the situation has shown steady improvement, especially during August, thanks to cooperation among port concessionaires, transport operators, and agencies in area management, accelerated container clearance, and revised work processes. This has reduced truck accumulation and improved traffic management efficiency within the port.

The Port Authority outlined a three-phase management strategy:

Immediate phase: Allocate over 70 rai of truck parking buffer zones for vessels entering the berth, with negotiations underway for an additional 30 rai. The Customs Department has extended outbound traffic lane operations at inspection gate 3 from 8 a.m. to midnight to clear empty containers and private vehicles, while expanding storage for excess cargo.

Parallel measures: Establish a task force to coordinate between the Port Authority, concessionaires, Customs, and related agencies, using real-time CCTV monitoring to detect and resolve bottlenecks quickly, and streamline cargo clearance procedures to reduce truck buildup.

Long-term measures: The Port Authority is developing a master plan to upgrade infrastructure at Laem Chabang Port to handle future import-export growth, restructure fee rates to reduce excess cargo, and accelerate phase 3 development as planned.

Minister Sampatched stressed that resolving port traffic requires sustained effort and cooperation from government, terminal operators, shipping lines, and transport companies. The Transport Ministry will closely monitor implementation to enable Laem Chabang Port to support the country's growing trade and logistics.