Plans for New Car Ferry Linking Hua Hin and Sattahip Mooted
Officials have met to plan a new ferry terminal south of Hua Hin in Pak Nam Pran.
The new terminal is planned to accommodate a car ferry and link Prachuap Khiri Khan with Sattahip in Chonburi.
Sattahip is around 30 kilometres by road south of Pattaya with Pak Nam Pran (near Pranburi) a similar distance south of Hua Hin. The terminals would be built as part of the ‘Thailand Riviera’ project, the Thai government’s ambitious plan to develop 528 kilometres of coastline, including in the provinces of Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon and Ranong. Mr.Thiraphan Nuntakit, Deputy Governor of Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, has presided over the opening a conference in Pranburi about tourism transport for the Eastern Seaboard Economic Zone.
The conference considered a concept and master plan for the Economic Corridor projects to develop the tourism potential in the Gulf of Thailand (Prachuap Khirikhan, Phetchaburi, Samut Prakan and Chonburi).
The plan is to develop transport routes by land, water air, according to the guidelines of the Thailand Riviera. A ferry terminal was proposed near Pranburi to accommodate passenger and vehicle transport as well as infrastructure development and economic development in the area. The proposal includes plans for a fishing port, a quality tourist destination and an international seaport for large tourist groups.
Some Background Context
In April 2015 the Transport Minister ACM Prajin Juntong instructed the Harbour Department to speed up the design and study of a project to build ferry piers to link Pattaya, Cha-Am and Hua Hin. Prajin said he wanted the study to be done as soon as possible because the ferry piers would link the two sides of the sea, boosting tourism and the economy and trade in Pattaya, Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan. He also said Siam Eastern Logistic Terminal Company had expressed interest in the project.
In June 2016 Peerapong Prasopsukcharoen, Development and Planning Manager of Siam Eastern Logistics Terminal Co., Ltd said “now we are ready to invest in the project and a number of local and foreign firms have expressed interest in joining us”. In January 2017 the current daily ferry service was launched by the Royal Passenger Liner Co Ltd from Khao Takiab to Pattaya with a ferry able to carry a maximum of 150 passengers per trip without provisions for motor vehicles. The recent proposal makes no comment about any changes this ferry service.
