Plenty of logistics companies are combining their SGMY operation and concentrate on land connectivity. PTP port & warehousing operation is slowly replacing Singapore due to cheaper rate & cheaper manpower.

This post has been edited by blanket84: May 26 2025, 04:27 PM

Catch up. Catch up.
Kra canal opens. It suddenly doesn't matter anymore.

Kra canal is not even canal but building up train line from east to west port

From unloading the goods, put into lorry/train and then continue putting back into ship on the other side , the savings not even worth it

The only reason why Thai is pushing ahead is to force gov land acquisition in the unstable southern thai region

heard that singapore port processing time is longer now because so much containers to process.

There's no significant time difference when using Kra land bridge (people always call it canal but in reality it's a land bridge, big difference).
Only reason why that project is being considered is because China wants an alternative to going through Selat Melaka, which can be restricted by either Malaysia, Singapore or Indonesia

I was gonna comment and ask "does this mean ECRL won't be a white elephant and there will actually be enough cargo hauling on it to make it viable?"
But then based on your answer on Kra Canal I guess you'd say no?

I've been to Rotterdam before and the port area is MASSIVE. Its surprising that Port Klang managed to handle more tonnage.

But if this is the case wouldn't they support the ECRL also?

I remember reading about how the ECRL while is being built by chinese construction companies using loans from China, actually doesn't have any concrete commitments from any shipping companies including Chinese ones that they will actually use it once its built.

Kra canal? If the rebels in Southern Thailand mysteriously found weapons and military supplies in the jungle, then that canal will no longer be viable.

If logistics companies are shifting to land connectivity and warehousing, than long term, Thailand hybrid kra canal model is better than my-sg.

This post has been edited by diffyhelman2: May 26 2025, 05:07 PM

Kra canal - Deal with Thailand only, and in Thailand, you settle with the King, you all good. Change 10 PM a month also no problem.
ECRL - Deal with Indonesia and Malaysia which does not offer stability. One day pro China, next day who knows?

This post has been edited by Mixxomon: May 26 2025, 05:09 PM

ECRL is connecting two huge proven ports Kuantan and Port Klang.

Kuantan is an established industrial hub too with Lynas, Volkswagen and Mercedes have billion dollar factory and regional parts centre
China also have China-Malaysia industrial park over there as they tapping in ECRL rail project.

I can see more and more industry will tap the Kuantan industrial and port and have the flexibility to receive the goods in Kuantan port, manufacture/storing it in Kuantan industrial park send it to Port Klang for western markets. Port Klang is one of the world busiest ports too and offer great connectivity.


Thailand plan is two create two new unproven ports and connecting it from zero and expecting ppl to use it for ‘saving time’ logistically

Not to mention all of their industrial area is not even in the southern region where the Kra project is

There is a reason why even China is a bit hesitant to invest in Kra land bridge

This post has been edited by Stigonboard: May 26 2025, 05:14 PM

Ah, that makes sense.

I'd disagree, in Thailand its rather the military and political parties that have the power. Both sides only use the royalty as an excuse to beat down the other.

You could see this in what has happened recently with the Move Forward Party where the military and established incumbent parties worked together to kick them down so that the status quo is not disturbed. Royalty didn't get involved much even though lese majeste was weaponised against them, although I suppose the royalty would have also seen them as a threat.

But aaaaaanyway, I guess that doesn't detract much from your point that with Thailand its still just thailand but if you go south to Malaysia/ECRL you'd sort of have to worry about Indonesia as well, though I would say even if you have to go through the straits to Port Klang you can do so while entirely within Malaysian sovereign waters.

So I'd have to say I'd agree with Stigonboard in that between these two projects ECRL is likely the one to have more use and that's if either of those two actually end up being anything more than white elephants in the first place.

This post has been edited by RViN: May 26 2025, 05:22 PM

Either way, the main point is, Kra land bridge won't chip off Singapore or Port Klang business in normal times. By itself, it's just a back up, not an alternative or a shortcut the way Suez or Panama is.

By land connectivity, what I meant was the connectivity between Johor & SG. Their client is able to freely move the goods from PTP to SG vice versa, depending on the solution they choose. Normally PTP warehouse would be the bonded transit warehouse to move goods to APAC countries.

Panama canal haven't resolve yet, you think Thailand dare to build the Kra? Later one day a Chinese Trump wake up on the wrong side of the bed and said "okay the Kra belongs to China now"

i suspect another valid reason for kra 'canal' is to cater for vessels that exceed malaccamax. so they use kra (or ECRL) instead. transferring cargo might seems hassle, but if they transport oil or gas via pipeline, its not that hassling.