Investments will go towards safety, roads, tourism, and job creation in various regions.
Thailand’s transport infrastructure will receive 56 billion baht in investments to improve safety and connectivity between regions. The initiative, funded by a nationwide economic stimulus package, aims to create new jobs, support the tourism industry, and stimulate the country’s economic growth.
Thailand’s Ministry of Transport is planning a major upgrade of its transport infrastructure, allocating 56 billion baht for this purpose. The investment is aimed at improving road safety and transport accessibility throughout the country.
This initiative is the result of a government decree passed on 20 May approving an economic stimulus package totaling approximately 157 billion baht. The package aims to boost money circulation, create new jobs, expand employment opportunities, and support the recovery of the tourism industry, which has been hit hard by the pandemic.
As part of the program, six key agencies under the Ministry of Transport submitted project proposals totaling 56.66 billion baht. The Department of Highways (DoH) leads the way with a portfolio of approximately 4,000 projects worth 37.63 billion baht. It is followed by the Department of Rural Roads (DRR), which has proposed about 3,700 projects worth a total of 17 billion baht.
Other agencies participating in the initiative include the Department of Airports (DoA) with a budget of 766 million baht, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) with 1 billion baht, The Transport Co Ltd with 15 million baht, and the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) with 42 million baht.
The projects submitted are currently under review by the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) and the Budget Bureau. If approved by the cabinet, the bidding and contract signing stages are expected to begin between July and August. According to sources, the projects are likely to be approved within the next two weeks.
Transport Minister Surya Jungrungreangkit emphasized that most of the projects are small to medium in scale, with costs ranging from 5 to 20 million baht. This will allow for their prompt implementation and completion within a year.
A significant portion of the proposals are aimed at improving road safety, reducing congestion in areas with heavy traffic, and strengthening transport accessibility, especially in regions with inadequate infrastructure. A key point is improving access to secondary cities and important tourist destinations, which in turn will help to stimulate economic activity.
One of the priority projects is the urgent modernization of the safety system on the section of the road connecting Kabin Buri and Wang Nam Kheow, which is known for its high accident rate. There are plans to install additional lighting to improve visibility, apply new road markings, and introduce intelligent driver warning systems, as well as install additional barriers along the road.
‘This demonstrates our commitment to raising safety standards in the transport sector. I am confident that the budget will effectively stimulate the economy,’ said Minister Surya Jungrungreangkit. This initiative represents an important step in the development of Thailand’s transport infrastructure and the creation of favorable conditions for economic growth and tourism development.
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