Change in role of ports
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The Transport Ministry plans to turn Laem Chabang Port into a modern port, reducing Bangkok port's role to serving domestic goods deliveries.
Transport Minister ACM Sukampol Suwannathat announced the policy to the Port Authority of Thailand (PAT)’s board and management yesterday.
He instructed the PAT to draw up a long-term strategy to increase the capacity of Laem Chabang Port and phase out the export role of Bangkok Port, which will cater only domestic product delivery.
The port authority will also develop some areas at Bangkok Port commercially to generate revenue.
Bangkok Port occupies 2,260 rai, of which 960 rai are used to provide actual port services. Of the remainder, 403 rai house state agencies, 141 rai are leased to the National Housing Authority, and 226 rai are leased to private firms.
PAT director Chalermchai Khun-iam said the authority plans to develop both the Bangkok and Laem Chabang sites on a “green port” basis, in conjunction with its single-port policy.
Regarding the commercial development of Bangkok Port, PAT’s management plans to propose to the board soon a plan to build an office complex on 17 rai to serve marine-business operators.
The project, which is estimated to cost Bt4 billion, will be run on a Build-Operate-Transfer basis. The company that wins the concession will invest in the project and the concession term is 30 years.
