Thailand is planning to build one of the longest bridges in the world. If it comes to fruition, the 100 kilometre bridge will also facilitate freight trains. The bridge is supposed to connect the Pacific and the Indian Ocean via an overland route, bypassing the Malacca Strait.
Valued at 26 billion euros, the bridge is supposed to help decongest the busiest seafaring route on the planet. According to Dutch publication Trouw, ships will be able to unload their freight at a Thai port, from where the goods will be carried across the country. On the other side of the Thai isthmus, goods will be loaded back onto ships to continue their journey.
However, such extra loading and unloading comes with additional costs, leading to questions about the project’s feasibility. Moreover, the volume of goods transiting the Malacca Strait is huge, and a huge amount of trains would be needed to take on such volumes on the rail. On the other hand, the Strait is becoming increasingly congested, which could make the proposed bridge a viable option.
Residents resist
At the same time, Dutch publication Trouw reports that the 100-kilometre bridge will inevitably run through currently inhabited areas of the country. A local resident told the newspaper that his family has been living in such an area for over a century, but now it needs to make room for the infrastructure project. Residents have already formed an organisation to stop its construction, says Trouw.