Thailand considering investing in three deep sea ports to boost marine tourism

Given the continuous growth opportunities in marine tourism through the increasing number of large cruise ships, the Marine Department has commissioned a consultant to study the feasibility and design of ports to accommodate these vessels. 

The project has been allocated a budget of 156.15 million baht for the years 2020-23 under the integrated tourism revenue generation plan.

The large cruise terminal development plan includes three projects: 

▪︎ Cruise terminal development project in Koh Samui district, Surat Thani province

This project will develop an area of approximately 47 rai (7.52 hectares). The total investment cost is 12.172 billion baht. The project will be based on the public-private partnership net cost model, with the private sector responsible for all construction and operations, while the government will repay the infrastructure investment over a 10-year period.

The project is scheduled to begin in 2025 and continue until 2061, with construction starting in 2029 and the terminal officially opening in 2032. The terminal will have a service life of 30 years, and it is expected to accommodate 200,000 to 400,000 tourists and 240 cruise ship trips per year.

The study estimates that the large cruise terminal in Koh Samui will generate economic value of approximately 46 billion baht over 30 years with an economic rate of return expected to exceed 15%.

The Marine Department has submitted the study report to the State Enterprise Policy Office for consideration. It is expected that the project can be submitted to the Cabinet for approval by the end of 2024.

▪︎ Phuket Deep Sea Port Development Project to accommodate large cruise ships 

This project aims to upgrade the Phuket Deep Sea Port to accommodate large cruise ships along the Andaman coast. It is expected to be completed by the end of 2024. The development will involve extending the length of the dock, dredging the channel depth to 10.5 metres from the lowest tide level or 12.8 metres compared to mean sea level.

Additionally, the project will include dredging to expand the turning basin for ships, constructing a breakwater, installing breakwater lights, and building a passenger terminal with the necessary equipment to meet the standards of a cruise terminal that serves as a home port. 

Once the upgrades are completed, the Phuket Deep Sea Port will have the potential to operate as a hybrid port, functioning both as a home port for medium to small cruise ships and as a port of call capable of accommodating the largest cruise ships in Asia, with passenger capacities of 4,200-4,900 people.

▪︎ Large Cruise Terminal Development Project in the upper Gulf of Thailand at Bali Hai Pier, Pattaya City, Chonburi province

This project aims to develop the Bali Hai Pier area in Pattaya City into a hybrid port. The terminal will serve as both a home port, with a capacity to accommodate 1,500 passengers per hour, and a port of call, with the ability to handle 3,500 to 4,000 passengers per hour.

Additionally, the port will be developed to accommodate the largest cruise ships in the world, allowing two large cruise ships to dock simultaneously, with a dock length of 300 metres. The project also includes constructing a passenger terminal, developing a parking area to support land connections to tourist destinations, and creating facilities for passenger boats and speedboats to connect tourists to various islands.

According to the preliminary study, the estimated investment for the project is 7.412 billion baht. The Marine Department will invite private sector participation through a PPP net cost model, with a 30-year concession. The bidding process is expected to begin in 2025, followed by construction starting in 2026. The construction will take four years, with the terminal expected to open for service in 2031.