Chon
Buri province maintains its geographic feature supporting to waterway transportation,
under long range seacoast of several hundreds kilometers in the eastern part
with beautiful beaches and private or commercial seaports to serve the cargo
transportation along the eastern seacoasts to overseas or to Bangkok ports.
The main seaports in the areas of Si Racha District, which are
mostly of the private firms such as Thai Oil Refinery Co., Ltd., Esso Co.,
Ltd. and Petroleum Authority of Thailand for the transportation of crude oil,
refined oil, and cassavas. Besides, there is Padaeng Seaport of Sriracha
Harbor Co., Ltd., mainly for metal or steel transportation.
In addition, Chon Buri province is all set for waterway
transportation due to the following factors :
1. The areas of Si Racha District, Udom Bay, Lamchabang District
and Si Chang Island can support big cargo ships to load/unload the goods
into small ships to Bangkok ports.
2. Sattahip deep seaport has been upgraded to be a commercial
seaport under responsibility of Navy Force with 5 ports to support the
cargo ships under the size of 30,000-50,000 tons. Also, there is a rail
route, Chachoengsao-Sattahip, linking with the ports.
3. Lamchabang deep seaport is located in Lamchabang Industrial
Estate under the areas of Si Racha District, or about 130 kilometers from
Bangkok, with 4 ports to support big cargo ships of both piling goods and
container cargo. Port Authority of Thailand has signed a contract with Ngow-Hok
Co., Ltd. and Thai Crane Co., Ltd. to manage the third and the fourth
seaports, as well as to allow Evergreen Co., Ltd. to rent the second
seaport. Meanwhile, the first seaport is still under the management of Port
Authority of Thailand.
4. Sichang deep seaport is a big seaport supporting the overall
cargo of 100,000 tons, or with the capacity to handle 5 ships at one time.
Meanwhile, the western part will be a port for liquid goods ships under the
size of 240,000 tons. Besides, there are the factories of Siam Chemicals Co.,
Ltd. for the production of industrial chemicals with an oil depot to keep 9
tanks of 100,000 barrel oil each. The project has received the investment
promotion from BOI.
Lamchabang Seaport Project (Basin I)
The construction was completed and started services on January 21, 1981. The
seaport maintains 5 ports in the north side and the other 5 ports in the
south side for various types of services as follows :
South side seaports
1) One multi-purpose port for loading/unloading general goods and
cargo
2) Four ports for loading/unloading cargo containers
North side seaports
1) One port at the seacoast for transporting domestic goods and
cargo
2) One port at the seacoast connecting from the first one in the
north side, with 2 piers for about 20 ships
3) One multi-purpose port for loading/unloading general goods and
cargo
4) One port for loading/unloading the piling goods such as sugar
and sugar grounds to be exported
5) One port for loading/unloading of coal products (import), some
types of agricultural products and others
Area prepared for seaport development
1) One port for general goods or piling goods, which is now under
development
Basin II Under 10 Years Plan
Operation
Pacific Consultants International Co., Ltd. (PCI) is responsible
for the study of economic and environmental feasibility, as well as the
engineering details of Lamchabang Seaport Project (Basin II). It is expected
that the whole project will be completed in the year 2003, with some ports
starting operation in the year 2001.
Future development plan of Lamchabang Seaport
Lamchabang Seaport Project (Basin II) was expected to start its
first phase of operation in the year 2000 with the capacity to support cargo
containers of not less than 600,000 TEU/year, under the construction period
of about 40 months. The project include (1) the dredging of water basin for
the depth of 16 meters, (2) the sea filling work to construct the seaports
at north and south sides, (3) the dam building for the pier of passenger
ships/boats at the length of 500 meters as well as for the other pier at
north side about the length of about 1,800 meters, (4) the dam extending for
sea wave protection to the length of 1,900 meters, (5) the building of one
port for container ships with the front length of 500 meters under full
facilities to serve the operation in the year 2000, (6) the building of one
port for passenger boats/ships with the front length of 500 meters, and (6)
the building of an observatory (tower) to be the symbol of Lamchabang
Seaport.
Basin III Under 20 Years Plan
It was expected to start operation in the year 2001 after the
completion of some parts of the Basin II. However, it would depend on the
study results and considerations of the Basin II, with the principle purpose
of pier building.
If all of the commercial seaports are completed and able to fully
start the operation, Chon Buri province will maintain high potentiality to
be a center of Thailand sea export, with Sichang deep seaport to support big
cargo ships of both general goods and liquid goods, as well as the middle
deep seaports like Lamchabang and Sattahip. Besides, there are other
transportation networks able to link with every part of the country,
especially the north and the northeastern parts. |