Suchart Thadathamrongvej advised the government to promptly build the China-Laos-Thailand high-speed railway from Kunming to Ranong port to transport goods and oil to and from China, then proceed with the Landbridge project as phase two, noting it is faster and involves much lower investment costs.
4 May 2026 GMT+7 Suchart Thadathamrongvej, party-list Member of Parliament for the Pheu Thai Party, and former Minister of Finance, expressed the view that several academic studies have evaluated that the Landbridge economic bridge project is not cost-effective because it involves double handling of cargo—loading and unloading twice—using many trains. If Thailand is to build a project connecting two oceans, it should be a “floating canal” system like the Panama Canal or an actual dug canal.
Suchart further stated that he proposes making the Landbridge project phase two to assess economic and geopolitical risks and opportunities, and instead use the China-Thailand high-speed rail for transport by expanding and upgrading Ranong port to international standards, using the China-Laos-Thailand railway to carry goods to and from Vientiane to Ranong port. Cargo can be transferred at Ranong port and then transported directly to Kunming, Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China, which is much faster than maritime transport.
The Yunnan provincial government has previously proposed investing in this construction project, and I have personally discussed this with the Deputy Governor of Yunnan. Therefore, the Thai government should hasten completion of the China-Laos-Thailand railway and start operations quickly, as delays have caused significant lost opportunities. The section from Vientiane crossing to Udon Thani and Nakhon Ratchasima could be constructed by China, with China purchasing our agricultural products in barter trade as compensation.