A 32-kilometre motorway opening in Thailand’s rapidly developing Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) will significantly enhance access to a broad range of new destinations, sites, and attractions in the coastal provinces of Chonburi, Chachoengsao, and Rayong.
The motorway will also facilitate connections between Bangkok’s main aviation hub of Suvarnabhumi Airport and the U-tapao-Pattaya airport/seaport in Rayong province, and enable visitors to make cross-border trips to neighbouring Cambodia.
The Royal Thai Government has identified tourism as one of the four core areas that will help transform the EEC into the leading economic zone in Southeast Asia.
The route starts at the Map Prachan Intersection between Chonburi–Pattaya, passing the Bang Lamung District and Sattahip District, Chonburi province, ending at the intersection with Highway 3, Ban Chang District, Rayong province.
Located on the northern rim of the Gulf of Thailand, the provinces of Chonburi, Rayong and Chachoengsao are rich in tourism, which TAT plans to extend, improve and promote, according to their different characteristics, such as:
“Chachoengsao: Thai Way of Life” due to its strengths in lifestyle, culture and agriculture.
“Chonburi: Modern of the East” because it is modern combined with localness. Pattaya is 1 of 5 MICE cities in Thailand.
“Rayong: BIZ City” This is an industrial estate area and has a lot of business activities.
Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said, “The EEC is a diverse region and offers a huge range of attractions to tourists and visitors. We want people coming here to work or travel to have the chance to explore the culture of the area.
“The well-established tourist resort of Pattaya is renowned, and visitors come to visit the beach, enjoy fine-dining, nightlife and off-shore attractions. But now there is a drive to extend and improve attractions offering more diverse and family-friendly experiences in the beach resort city, as well as in the nearby provinces of Rayong and Chachoengsao.”
Because of the transportation and easy access, this will boost tourism in the EEC that will benefit the local people and businesses with investment, jobs and income. This route is Thailand’s first historic intercity highway will advance the connectivity between the Central and Eastern regions and cement the role of the EEC as a bridgehead between Thailand and the ASEAN region.