The Port Authority of Thailand (PAT) plans to spend 41.8 million baht upgrading Ranong's two ports as part of a plan to improve land and sea transport connections between Thailand and Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan.
Thailand together with these countries is part of a bloc called the Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec).
Kamolsak: Plans for cargo hub
PAT director-general Kamolsak Promprayoon said both ports of Ranong will be upgraded so that they are capable of serving 12,000 deadweight (DWT) cargo vessels.
The project is expected to finish next year, he said.
Ranong's 1st Port, which is 130 metres long, will be equipped with 35 sets of 800H-2500L arch fenders to allow 12,000 DWT cargo ships to dock, while another two sets of the same type of arch fenders will be installed at the 150m-long 2nd Port, he said.
Aside from accommodating the 12,000 DWT ship, these two ports will also be upgraded to handle a 65.3-tonne crane and the bridges leading to both ports will be capable of receiving 22-wheeled lorries, he said.
The transport connection improvement project is designed to support the Southern Economic Corridor scheme in terms of land and sea transport between the Andaman side and the Gulf of Thailand side, and involves ports in Ranong, Chumphon and Chon Buri's Laem Chabang.
Ranong has been designated as a hub for cargo transport on the Andaman side as it connects with the sea transport routes to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan, according to Mr Kamolsak.