Laem Chabang Port officials Tuesday launched the third phase of the harbor’s expansion with a public hearing aimed at gathering opinions from locals about its potential impact on residents and fishermen.
Director Thongchai Thampridi said the port is seeking information at several hearings before launching any construction. Additional hearings will be held in July in Bangkok and Korat, both major logistics connections.
The seven-year expansion project – the third in the port’s history – will be studied for a year before a year-long design phase begins. Actual construction will take four years and operational setup yet another.
Laem Chabang Port officials and local residents attend a hearing March 22 aimed at gathering opinions about the possible environmental and economic impacts of the facility’s planned expansion.
Banglamung Moo 2 village chief Rungravee Sodana said the expansion will certainly impact the prospects for fishermen long term and urged port officials to help displaced locals get trained and find new jobs.
Moo 3 chief Manot Kongyothin, who developed an innovative way to build condominium-like habitats for crabs in Pattaya Bay, said the port expansion will inevitably affect the fishing industry. He stressed that the port must pay a lot of attention to the environmental impact of expansion and focus on sustainable development.
