Laem Chabang three-prong development plan

The port is to undertake a feasibility study of its Phase Three development, develop its inland waterway transportation and its single rail transfer operation, said Ms Arporn Tanttivechakul, assistant director of the Port.

“We [will] develop rail,” Ms Tanttivechakul said. ”In future, the port will have double track (railways) and a single operator to operate.”

Currently terminal operators do their own rail transfers – something which is a cause of congestion and delay on the land side – a problem the port is tackling.

Plans to reform the system however have been stalled by May’s coup. Thailand’s current military rulers have plans to restore civilian rule in October when the rail project could be picked up again, she added.

Discussions on the development plans for Phase Three of the port are still open, Ms Tanttivechakul said, but the port has used a first half decline in trade to delay a final decision and to instead work with local communities to ease any concerns they might have. “Now we try to do a project to help,” she said.

She suggested the new facilities would be mixed but would serve container and passenger facilities. Dredging is a key issue and there are ambitious plans for a draft of 18 metres to allow Laem Chabang can handle the big ships.