South Thailand - A Multi-prong National Strategy

[cplee]

The Government and People of Thailand should give serious consideration to opening a canal though the Ithmus of Kra; initially one lane and later two lanes.

2. With the current oil price coupled with the long distance to sail through the Malacaa Straits and vice versa, there would be tremendous savings in terms of costs and time if there is a ocean-going canal construted. Militarily this is also important.
It will also be a post for the economic development of the Southern Thai hinterland, including addressing the unrest in the south.

3. The opening of the canal (complemented by industrial zones, airports, etc) may adversely affect the ports and even the economy of Thailand's ASEAN partners but Thailand should have global outlook; one way to address its impact is perhaps to allow minority participation by Thailand's ASEAN partners.

4. The Government should consider the views of environmentalists, NGOs, its own military leaders, etc.

God bless Thailand.

[Silaworld]

Basically an EXCELLENT idea of course. Considering the map (over land) only, one might think connecting Saphan Pla with Lang Suan. I do not have Sea-Charts here right now to have a look at sea-levels. I think sailors also might like the idea the Andaman sea being connected to the Gulf of Thailand.
Probably this idea has already intensively been studied by Thai government. Being a sailor myself I am much in favour not having the need to go through Malacca Straits, sailing from the Gulf of Thailand to the Indian Ocean.
Of course, considerations made by a handfull of lonely ocean-going sailors will never be important enough to have the least influence on decision-makers.

[wilko]

Never gonna happen - This idea is several hundred years old - I believe the French and maybe even the British offered to help out about a century ago - sadly Thailand does not have a history of major civil engineering projects - too much money is lost through corruption - they haven't even got a decent railway infrastructure and still have no plans for that either.