4-pier link planned in Andaman Sea between Krabi, Phuket, Phang Nga
The new Andaman ring route will reduce travel time between the three provinces, boost tourism, trade and regional connectivity
The Marine Department is being pushed to expedite the construction of four piers that will create an Andaman marine ring route and reduce travel time from Phuket to Krabi by an hour and a half.
Deputy Transport Minister Manaporn Charoensri said on Monday that her order was in line with the key policy of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit, who want to develop piers to ease goods and passenger transport.
Manaporn said the four piers, worth 740 million baht, will link the coasts of Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi, dubbed the Andaman triangle, which is crucial for the country’s economy. She said this new connection could serve as a key transport route for tourists in the future.
Under the route, the Manoh Pier off Phuket will be linked to Phang Nga’s Chong Lard Pier and to Krabi’s Tha Lane Pier.
Normally, covering the 145-kilometre distance by road between Krabi airport and Phuket airport can take three and a half hours. However, covering the 97-km distance between Krabi and Phuket by sea will take just two hours, Manaporn added.
She added that this new Andaman ring will also bring income to Phang Nga, which is a second-tier province.
Kritphet Chaichuay, the Marine Department’s director-general, said the project will start with the upgrading of two existing piers, Manoh Pier on Koh Yao Noi Island and Chong Lard Pier on Koh Yao Yai Island. He said his department has received two lots of funds worth 175 million baht for upgrading Manoh Pier and 185 million baht for upgrading Chong Lard Pier.
He added that the department is in the process of seeking bids for the development of the two piers, adding that construction should begin this year and be completed by 2026.
The two piers are small and decrepit, Kritphet said, adding that new facilities will have to be added to accommodate tourists and transport.
The department will build new piers at the old sites and add facilities like a new service building, passenger lounge and larger carparks, as well as new facilities for docking cargo and passenger boats.
Kritphet said his department was seeking another 380 million from the fiscal 2025 budget for the construction of two more piers – Por Bay Pier in Phuket and Tha Lane Pier in Krabi.
The two piers should be up and running by 2027, he added.
