Thailand Resilient Transport Connectivity and Irrawaddy Dolphin Conservation Project

pipeline

The proposed project aims to improve transport connectivity and its contribution to climate resiliency for the access to Lanta Island (or Koh Lanta) and across Songkhla Lake.The proposed Lanta Island bridge is a new 2-km bridge across the Chong Lat canal, connecting Koh Lanta (consisting of Lanta Noi Island and Lanta Yai Island) with the Krabi province’s mainland. The two-lane bridge will have 3.75m traffic lane width, with 2.50m shoulder width, and a 1m wide colored median. The estimated project cost is 1,849.50 THB million (US$ 51.4 million). The bridge will also serve as the infrastructure to carry other utilities, such as waster, electricity, and fiber optic internet – which will require collaborations with corresponding utility agencies. The Lanta Island bridge is expected to primarily reduce travel time and transport costs and allow readier access to the mainland for the 35,000 people who live on Koh Lanta and for the 350,000 tourists who visit the islands each year. Farmers and fisherfolk who sell their produce to the mainland will be particularly benefited by lower marketing costs. The dominant mode of transportation to Koh Lanta from the mainland and vice versa is by ferry, an essential service that is operated by a private company through a concession contract that is renewed every three (3) years with the local government of Koh Lanta District. The ferry service has the physical limitations of the small pier account for long queues during the peak season (October-April). Ferry operations are also not coordinated with land and air travel in the mainland. The demand for ready transport to the mainland, in case of medical emergency, for instance, is unmet especially during off-hours (approx. 10pm-6am). The cost to hire the ferry for exclusive use is high at about 2,000 THB (US$ 55) per trip. In addition, the ferry service gets disrupted during low tide or strong wind conditions. Based on stakeholder meetings during the mission, the absence of alternative modes of transportation to the ferry services is the main concern of the locals in Koh Lanta.The proposed Sonkhla Lake bridge is a new 7-km bridge across Songkhla Lake. The two-lane bridge will connect the Chong Thanon District of Patthalung Province with the Krasae Sin District of Songkhla Province. The estimated project cost is 4,829.25 THB million (US$ 134.1 million). The Songkhla Lake Bridge is expected to primarily reduce the travel time and transportation cost for the 308,000 local beneficiaries who live on both sides of the lake. The bridge can save up to 2 hours (or 80 km) of travel by road around the lake. This facilitates trade and reduces logistics costs between two sides of the lake (seafood from the east side; fruits and vegetables from the west side). A transport network modeling has been conducted to demonstrate the improvement of road network efficiency in Songkhla and Patthalung provinces. The bridge also establishes the emergency evacuation route in case of natural disaster, especially along the east shoreline (Krasae Sin District and Sathing Phra District of Songkhla Province) to rapidly evacuate to the area of Phattalung Province in case of disaster events. It also allows local population access to better healthcare facilities and universities in Songkhla City.Regarding the Irrawaddy dolphin in Songkhla Lake, a robust conservation program that combines enforcement (of effective dolphin protection measures and appropriate fishing regulations), incentives (through the provision of livelihood alternatives to fishing communities around Thale Luang), and research (to better understand the population and its ecology) is urgently needed to arrest and overturn the declining trend observed in the population over recent decades. Existing information and research on the dolphins is very limited and the risk of additional, human-induced dolphin mortalities at any given time is significant. The Government has prepared a long-term strategy in 2023 for the conservation of Irrawaddy dolphins in Thale Luang, as a tool to coordinate and align efforts. The strategy, prepared jointly by the three agencies, includes short-, medium-, and long-term measures, focusing on minimizing threats to the dolphins and their habitat, promoting alternative livelihoods, conducting biological and ecological research, and community engagement and outreach. An action plan for the initial five years of implementation has also been prepared, the Conservation Plan for Irrawaddy Dolphins in Songkhla Lake 2024-2028, or “Dolphin Conservation Plan” (DCP). The proposed project will support the implementation of the parts of the DCP.The project will achieve its objectives through the implementation of the following Components:Component 1: Transport Infrastructure Connectivity Improvement in Southern ThailandComponent 2: Irrawaddy Dolphin Conservation and Ecosystem Management in Thale LuangComponent 3: Institutional Development and Project ManagementThe Government of Thailand (GoT) has conducted the feasibility studies and detailed designs of the two bridges. The Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for the two bridges have also been completed and approved by the Environmental Impact Assessment Review Expert Panel under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) and the National Environmental Board (NEB).