Skip to main content

Thailand highway development programme

Thailand has set out plans for an ambitious highway development programme.
By MJ Woof July 15, 2020 Read time: 1 min
Thailand’s holiday destination of Phuket will be one part of the country to benefit from a new highway link - image © courtesy of Sarah Biswell

Thailand is setting out plans for an ambitious highway and road development programme. The programme will help improve transport links with the country’s neighbours, with eight new highways being planned.

The Ministry of Transport of Thailand is working on the transport network development programme. In all, the eight new highways will total close to 5,000km.

The longest route will be a 1,660km highway running between Songkhla and Chiang Rai, whie Nong Khai and Laem Chabang will be connected by a 490km highway, and Surin and Bung Kan will be joined by a 470km highway.

An 880km highway will connect Ubon, Ratchathani and Tak, while a 710km highway will link Tak with Nakhon Phanom. A 310km highway will link Sa Kaeo with Kanchanaburi, while a 220km highway will connect Kanchanaburi and Trat. In addition, a 190km highway will run between Surat Thani and Phuket.

Construction of the first sections of the highways should commence in 2022 or 2023. The highways will likely be built under the PPP model. New towns will be developed along these highway routes also.

Related Content

  • Albanian road investment
    May 15, 2012
    The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing major funding in Albania’s road network. A loan worth €53 million will help pay for the construction of the new Fier and Vlore bypasses. This loan will aid further development of the Albanian road network and boosting economic integration in the country by co-financing the construction of the two bypass roads, located in south-western Albania. The EBRD loan is structured in two tranches and will be used by the Albanian Road Authority t
  • National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) rolls out new PPP regime
    January 11, 2016
    Financially delinquent contractors working on Indian projects will, from now on, find they are labelled a “non-performer” and barred from further work until they remedy their cash flow. The move by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is an attempt to speed up site work and complete public-private partnership road projects on time. Under the new policies, firms that delay construction or fail to inject their share of capital into their projects will be barred from participating in fresh bids un
  • New Indonesian road links being planned
    November 11, 2019
    The Indonesian Government plans to give a boost to its tourist trade with the construction of 5,000km of new road connections. These will be built by 2024 in a bid to improve transport and help develop the economy of areas currently without adequate road links. In all around 2,500km of national roads will be built and 1,500km of toll roads. The plans also call for some 60km of elevated road sections or bridges to be constructed. This follows on from the road construction plan of 2014-2018, which saw 3,387km
  • Nepal sets major infrastructure programme in motion
    February 15, 2012
    The Nepalese Government is setting out a strategy to invest heavily in its transport connections. The country has set a budget of US$5.49 billion for the fiscal year 2011-2012, with $530 million to be spent on the infrastructure development programme.