The Deputy Transport Minister is accelerating efforts to resolve delays in the land reclamation for Laem Chabang Port Phase 3. He held discussions with the Port Authority of Thailand (PAT) and experts to reach a conclusion on the land handover issues with the private sector and established a committee to solve the problem within 60 days, supporting Thailand’s logistics development.
Mr. Sanphet Boonyamanee, Deputy Minister of Transport, revealed after chairing a meeting with representatives from the Port Authority of Thailand (PAT), engineering experts, consulting firms, and legal advisors to discuss progress and obstacles in the Laem Chabang Port Phase 3 land reclamation project that the project has not yet been able to deliver work according to the planned schedule.
The meeting focused on exchanging information regarding engineering, design, and quality control processes for soil filling, aiming to jointly find solutions while prioritizing safety standards and the country’s long-term interests.
Representatives from the Engineering Institute of Thailand under Royal Patronage (EIT) participated in the discussion, led by Associate Professor Anek Siriphanichakorn, President of EIT; Associate Professor Dr. Panuwat Joiklad, Chair of the Civil Engineering Branch; and Associate Professor Dr. Somphot Yuwai, a geotechnical engineering expert, along with representatives from engineering and legal consulting firms.
The meeting considered several key aspects including soil survey data, construction design details, port design criteria, usage patterns, soil compaction standards and procedures, quality control processes, and acceptance criteria to thoroughly analyze causes and formulate comprehensive solutions.
Mr. Sanphet emphasized that all agencies must work carefully, transparently, and based on academic principles to build confidence among the public and stakeholders, relying on cooperation from all parties to ensure the project progresses effectively.
Additional information from the Ministry of Transport stated that previously, PAT was instructed to expedite the Laem Chabang Port Phase 3 project to open by 2031 as scheduled. Recently, a problem-solving committee was appointed, chaired by Mr. Panya Chupanich, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, to find a joint solution between PAT and the private concessionaire, with a deadline to reach a conclusion within 60 days.
The primary cause of the delay is the land handover issue with the private contractor GPC International Terminal Co., Ltd. (GPC), originally scheduled for handover in November 2025, but complications arose over differing interpretations of land reclamation standards between PAT’s contract conditions and GPC’s port development bidding terms.
Currently, PAT has formed a negotiation task force with GPC, while the Ministry of Transport plans to establish a larger committee including representatives from the ministry, PAT, project consultants, and the Engineering Institute of Thailand to jointly examine and finalize the criteria for measuring the density of the reclaimed land.
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