Thailand scales back US$30 billion land bridge on commercial viability concerns

hailand's government said on Friday (Jul 24) it will revise and scale down an ambitious US$30 billion plan to build a coast-to-coast "land bridge" after a review cast doubt on the megaproject's commercial viability.



It will instead pursue the expansion of a port in southern Ranong province and related rail links, the government said in a statement.



The original land bridge proposal envisioned a 1 trillion baht (US$30.45 billion) logistics corridor offering an alternative route to the congested Strait of Malacca.



The proposal involved the connection of two ‌new deep-sea ports: Chumphon, on the Gulf of Thailand in the east, and Ranong, along the country's western Andaman coast.