BANGKOK, July 26 — As plans to construct Pak Bara deep-sea port in the southern province of Satun were already delayed due to opposition by provincial people, Chula Sukmanop, director-general of Marine Department, said the department officials would try to explain to them how important the port would be.
Mr Chula said the officials would inform people there that the deep–sea port would have only light industries built around it, while the port could help generate more income for the people and further develop the province.
He said the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has attached importance on building a port on the Andaman coastline and Pak Bara deep-sea port could become a “gateway for exporting goods to India and Europe.”
If approved by the people in the area, Pak Bara deep-sea port could begin construction between 2016 – 2017 with investment of over Bt10 billion.
The construction was expected to complete within four years.
Mr Chula said both rail and road systems would be built and connected to the port in order to facilitate loading and unloading goods.
On a plan to expand Songkhla port on the Gulf of Thailand, Mr Chula said development would be carried out simultaneously with the construction of Pak Bara deep-sea port, as the use of Songkhla port was now at full capacity.
Rail and road systems will be constructed to connect the two ports, while it was expected that shippers would switch to using them, as they do not have to transport goods through the Malacca Strait which would cost them more, he added.
