Dubai may rethink land-bridge plan

"The two ends of the land bridge appear to point from Songkhla Seaport in Songkhla to Pakbara Seaport in Satun," the source said.

The project would entail extensions from the old route, the source said.

Last May, the government agreed to United Arab Emirates-based Dubai World's offer to conduct a feasibility study on the investment needs of the South.

Dubai World's report is expected to be submitted to the office this week, the source said.

Most believe that the agreement could pave the way for the land bridge, a long-discussed vision floated by the Chatchai Choonhavan government back in 1988-1991 to link Nakhon Si Thammarat and Krabi.

The new course is expected to serve demand for trade and investment from a greater variety of industries than the old path, which focused only on the oil industry by laying transmission pipelines for crude and refined oil between the eastern and western seaports in the southern region.

The oil line is not worth the investment, the source said.

The two parties also plan to develop a port on each side of the peninsula with a connected land corridor that may include a special free zone or business park.

The corridor could operate as a logistics centre and may include road and railways to handle the transfer of cargo.

Not only seaports, but also refineries, petrochemical plants and other related industries would emerge near the land bridge.

"The areas adjoining the land bridge will become a new corridor for trade and investment as well as world-class supply chain services connecting to China, Asean and India," the source said.

The office would complete the investment plan by studying the concept paper more in detail, then seek approval from the Transport Ministry and Cabinet, the source said.

A "national committee" would be set up similar to the task force that had been formed for the Eastern Seaboard project to work with Dubai World. The committee will consist of representatives from state departments and agencies.