Gulf of Thailand Bridge Pattaya <> Hua Hin

[Ratsima]

Here's another brilliant idea. A bridge across the gulf of Thailand from Chonburi to Phetchaburi:

bridge.jpg (133.88 KiB) Viewed 808 times

Read all about it in Matichon, here: https://www.matichon.co.th/politics/news_2293254

(Note: You can use Chrome to translate the article into English.)

[brianks]

Great idea! Just like the bridge from Khanom to Koh Samui! Great ideas. Now for the hard part--Who is going to pay for it? Maybe they could buy some more submarines and run the bridges over the top of them.

[HHTel]

This was planned years ago (2004/2005). The feasibility was done. Signs were erected then it was cancelled due to 'Royal Concern'. Having spent millions on the original feasibility study, they learned nothing!

Premier Thaksin said he has to cancel the 50 billion baht Laem Phak Bai Project after receiving concern from His Majesty from Klai Kangwon Palace about environmental impact and this controversial project has cost overrun problems after the fuel hike. Furthermore, this project has not passed an Environmental Assessment (EIA). There is serious concern about mercury and lead deposits at the mouth of Mae Klong River and nearby areas which Laem Phak Bai project has to pass through.
The substitute is to construct a new highway parallel with Highway 4 and Highway 35 along with some elevated sections. This also revitalizes the mothballed Bang Yai-Nakhon Pathom-Ban Pong-Cha Am Motorway as a substitute which is cheaper even though it is 30-40 km longer (total 90 km).

Furthermore, the environmental assessment on the construction site has shown that the area is a soft clay area with a very muddy sea bottom--requiring extensive pillars. This additional cost for support pillars increased their cost from a few billion baht to more than 20 billion baht.
The soil at the sea bottom also shows very intensive amounts of mercury and lead. The mercury and lead would poison sea life around the area.

http://2bangkok.com/2bangkok-bridge-gul ... ridge.html

[buksida]

There must be a competition going on with these loons; who can conjure up the largest project to line our pockets for the next decade ...

The space port is still winning I think, they'll want a nuclear reactor next.

[Ratsima]

Never mind.

[HHTel]

Before anyone points it out. I realise this bridge is across the gulf to Chonburi and not from Samut Sakhon to Cha-am, however, the reasons for the cancellation of the earlier elevated motorway and the newly proposed bridge has the very same concerns. Probably more so as it crosses deeper water.
A further feasibility, apart from wasting more millions, is going to arrive at the same conclusion.

[Ratsima]

I was going to point it out, but decided to “Never mind" instead. On further reading it seems that many similar projects have been proposed in the past. All of them would be engineering nightmares and environmental catastrophes.

Still a bit of fun, though.

[handdrummer]

Instead, they could stretch a rubber band suspension bridge from point A to point B. Thailand had a lot of rubber so it wouldn't cost as much as other material. As an alternative, China could be invited to design an build a bridge from Shanghai to Bangkok, with unlimited tourist access. There would be so many tourists that it would pay for itself within a few days and once this project was completed, Thailand could build a Stairway To Heaven. (Cue music)

[europtimiste]

Old project dating about 2005. At that time the palace supported for the project but fishermen and environmentalists were unfortunately opposed.

[HHTel]

Sorry, euro, it was the palace that caused the project to be cancelled in 2005:

Royal concern effectively cancelling Laem Phak Bai project - translated and summarized from Manager Daily, Bangkok Biznews, and Matichon, August 8, 2005
Premier Thaksin said he has to cancel the 50 billion baht Laem Phak Bai Project after receiving concern from His Majesty from Klai Kangwon Palace

[Dannie Boy]

Wasn’t sure where to put this, as it’s not strictly related to the ferry service, however in the unlikely event that it goes ahead, it will do away with the need of a ferry service between the two Cities

https://thepattayanews.com/2020/10/11/t ... h-hua-hin/

[Big Boy]

The ferry seems to be a dead duck anyway. Expensive, unreliable, hasn't run since Covid, and not much chance of it running again in the near future.

Unfortunately, your link times out for me - tried 3 times.

[PeteC]

The link works, but try the below and find the article bottom right of the homepage. Too many charts and maps to copy/paste it all here.

https://thepattayanews.com

[Dannie Boy]

The ferry seems to be a dead duck anyway. Expensive, unreliable, hasn't run since Covid, and not much chance of it running again in the near future.

Unfortunately, your link times out for me - tried 3 times.

Here’s a small extract and as soon as you read the headline cost, you realise it has almost no chance of getting off the ground (unless they cancel the plans for the submarines)!!

Thai government planning to invest 900 billion baht on ‘Thai Bridge’ mega project to connect Pattaya area with Hua Hin
By Nop Meechukhun -Sunday, 11 October 2020, 21:21



National –

The ‘Thai Bridge’ project, with a large investment of 900 billion baht, has been introduced by the Thai government’s committee on economic steering and aims to build a new route from the East to the South of Thailand in order to domestically expand the impact from the Eastern Economic Corridor projects (EEC).


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[PeteC]

The bridge will generate tolls though. Probably quite hefty ones for Thailand. 500 Baht one way for cars, and higher for multi-axle, doesn't sound outrageous. It would pay for itself in time. Not in our lifetime, but in time.