23 June 2024 – At 2:00 p.m. today, Prime Minister Settha Thavisin visited Laem Chabang Port in Si Racha District, Chonburi Province, to review and expedite the construction of the Laem Chabang Port Development Project, Phase 3. He was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Suriya Rungruangkit, Deputy Minister of Transport Monporn Charoensri, and a team from the Port Authority of Thailand (PAT), including Director Kriangkrai Chaisiriwongsuk, along with representatives from joint venture contractor CNNC.
Deputy Spokesperson for the Office of the Prime Minister, Radklao Inthawong Suwankiri, reported that the Prime Minister’s visit aimed to monitor progress following an inspection last November, which revealed delays. Under the leadership of Mr. Suriya, the project has been revised, with construction now expected to begin by the end of next year and completion targeted for June 2026. The team expressed enthusiasm and discussed openly about challenges, particularly issues related to importing materials, which are being addressed by local authorities.
The Director of PAT stated that the marine construction work, managed by CNNC, has a total value of 21,320 million baht. This includes sea reclamation of approximately 2,846 rai (4.5 million square meters), dredging of water channels and mooring basins to a depth of 18.5 meters, and breakwater construction. As of November 4, 2023, the project had progressed by 13.26%. Following the Prime Minister’s visit, PAT has been closely monitoring the contractor’s performance, leading to a 17% acceleration in work.
The construction supervisor for Phase 3 reported that by May 2024, the marine construction work had reached 31.12% completion, slightly behind the planned 35.11%. To address this, additional machinery and labor are being deployed to increase the dredging rate to over 2,000,000 cubic meters per month, aiming for an average monthly progress of at least 3%. Despite the delays, significant progress has been made, and there is confidence that the marine construction will meet the June 2026 deadline.
In addition to marine work, Phase 3 includes the construction of buildings, piers, road systems, and public utilities, recently awarded to China Harbor Engineering Company Limited with a budget of 7,298 million baht. The contract is expected to be signed by early July 2024. Further stages include the construction of a railway system valued at 799 million baht, and procurement and installation of machinery and equipment worth 2,257 million baht, both set to begin bidding by late 2024.
Attendees of the review included several high-ranking officials and stakeholders who discussed the economic implications of the project. The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of meeting deadlines to ensure timely completion, which is crucial for maintaining Thailand’s competitive edge in international trade and infrastructure development.
