Abhisit Vejjajiva, former Democrat Party leader, recently met with residents during a campaign walkabout in Bangkok’s Constituency 1, covering the Bang Rak district. He was there to promote the party’s candidate, Jermmas Juenglertsiri. The Democrat Party has introduced a new plan to bring economic prosperity to the southern region of Thailand by developing four mega-projects, with the city of Songkhla’s Hat Yai as the potential transportation center.
First on the agenda is a 13-kilometer monorail system designed to address traffic congestion in Hat Yai during peak hours. With an investment of THB16 billion, this monorail line will feature 15 stations, initially connecting Khuan Lang to Ban Phru via Hat Yai railway junction, Kim Yong market, and Prince of Songkla University. The mass-transit system will later be expanded to Lop Buri Ramet Road and Hat Yai Park.
Next, a double-track railway for electric trains is proposed to link Hat Yai and Padang Besar, aimed at improving the movement of passengers and goods between the two regions. The project is expected to attract more tourists to Hat Yai, injecting THB11 billion annually into the local economy while stimulating border trade between Thailand and Malaysia.
A 71-kilometer Hat Yai-Sadao motorway is the third mega-project, connecting Ban Khuan Sai Thong to the new Sadao customs checkpoint at an estimated cost of THB40.7 billion. As part of this plan, three new motorway routes have been proposed, including a 1,100-kilometer project connecting Narathiwat’s Sungai Kolok with Nakhon Pathom, in a move that will see the transformation of Nakhon Si Thammarat’s Thung Song district into a southern-region goods distribution center. The other two motorway routes include an 853-kilometer network connecting the northern region’s Mae Sai with Ayutthaya’s Bang Pa-in district, and another 710 kilometers from Tak’s Mae Sot to Nakhon Phanom in the northeast.
Lastly, the construction of an 18-kilometer bridge linking Surat Thani’s Koh Samui to Nakhon Si Thammarat’s Laem Tap in Khanom district is proposed. With an estimated cost of THB25 billion, the project aims to provide a new transportation option for tourists traveling between Koh Samui and Hat Yai. The bridge’s development is being studied by the Expressway Authority of Thailand (Exat) under the supervision of the Transport Ministry.
By focusing on these mega-projects, the Democrat Party is aiming to uplift the economy in the southern region and build a brighter future for the people in that area.
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