Public hearings on land bridge project to begin Friday

The government is organising a new round of public hearings on a mega-land transport development project linking the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea in the southern region.

Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn told the media this week that the first of the new round of hearings will be held in Chumphon and Ranong provinces on the Gulf and Andaman coasts respectively.

He said that he will first chair a public forum in Chumphon on May 8th, followed by another in Ranong, at which all stakeholders are welcome to participate to voice their opinions and ideas.

He noted that his ministry’s Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTTPP) has confirmed in its finding that public investment in the so-called Land Bridge project is worthwhile for local communities and the nation.

Participating stakeholders will be informed of the OTTPP’s finding, as well as the pros and cons of the project, including economic advantages and some environmental tradeoffs, while allowing them to express their opinions and concerns freely for the government to consider.

The transport minister vowed that both the public and national interests will be prioritised, while accepting that the disadvantages must also be addressed.