The cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal by the Transport Ministry to develop ports and facilities for yachts and cruise liners.
Estimated investment costs and locations are not yet available, with deputy government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd saying the Transport and Finance ministries still need to finalise details.
Study plans for yacht facilities should be finished and submitted to the cabinet by September, with those for cruise liner ports completed this year.
The Transport Ministry reported there are 33 potential locations to develop ports for yachts in the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand.
Six ports are now available for yachts in the Andaman Sea and five in the Gulf of Thailand. They can accommodate a combined 2,000 yachts.
Only three ports — Bangkok, Laem Chabang and Phuket — now provide services for cruise liners. However, those ports are not yet suitable to handle services for cruise tourism.
The cabinet instructed related ministries to devise an investment plan to improve facilities at Laem Chabang and Bangkok ports to offer services for cruise tourism.
The Finance Ministry is required to negotiate with the company that manages Phuket port about an expansion plan.
Mr Sansern said a public-private partnership could be used for Phuket port's expansion.
The government projects yacht and cruise tourism development would raise revenue from the segment to 3.6 billion baht by 2016-17.
The Joint Public-Private Consultative Committee chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday authorised Deputy Prime Minister MR Pridiyathorn Devakula to take charge of the development this month.
The plan covers the development of three ports and related facilities to accommodate large yachts in Phuket, Phangnga and Koh Samui. The project is expected to be completed by 2016-17.
The private sector will be allowed to engage in developing ports and facilities.
Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, secretary-general of the National Economic and Social Development Board, recently said revenue from 500,000 yacht arrivals during the four-month high season was estimated at 1.8 billion baht.
Arrivals could increase to up to 900,000 by 2016-17.