Thailand develops eco-friendly seaport model

Thailand is striving to implement environmental protection and social sustainability solutions in developing the country’s major infrastructure projects, such as the development of Phase 3 of Laem Chabang Port, Thailand's only deep-sea port.

Ranked among the top 20 busiest ports worldwide, Laem Chabang Port, located in Chonburi Province in eastern Thailand, is constructing a new U-shaped wharf, 800 m wide and 2,000 m long, aiming to increase the port’s annual container handling capacity from 11 million TEU to 18 million TEU.

This project is an essential part of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) Development Plan and is one of 15 infrastructure projects prioritised by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s administration.

However, enhancing infrastructure quality and efficiency is not the sole goal of Laem Chabang Port.

With a focus on the surrounding community and environment, the port has hired a team of professional consultants and an external environmental third party to closely monitor and inspect the activities and initiatives of Phase 3 development project.

An environmental committee, comprising experts and representatives from the local community around the project, has been established to oversee the initiative and ensure it has minimal environmental impact.

Laem Chabang Port also aims to enhance eco-friendly initiatives by devising additional ecological agendas to ensure sustainable development and minismise factors that may contribute to global warming.

According to Rutthakorn Khiewpaisal, director of Laem Chabang Port, corporate social responsibility (CSR) is another key focus of the port, particularly regarding the local community surrounding the port.

The port’s nine CSR initiatives include three focused on education, five on health and social safety, and one environmental initiative to conserve Laem Chabang’s mangrove forests and coastline.

The construction of Laem Chabang Port began in 1987, and it officially started operations in 1991. The Phase 3 development project is regarded as a vital one for Laem Chabang Port, not only enabling it to boost its maritime transport capacity but also enhancing its competitiveness with other ports in Asia, thereby promoting Thailand's overall economic efficiency.