Tepa Port 2026: Push to Unlock Laws for Mini Land Bridge
Police Colonel Tawee Sodsong and Anumat Amath visited Tepa Port in Songkhla on Oct 19, 2026, urging the government to unlock urban planning laws for a mini land bridge.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Police Colonel Tawee Sodsong visited TEPA TRANSIT TERMINAL in Songkhla province.
- Anumat Amath highlighted legal hurdles from urban planning and wildlife sanctuary rules.
- The project aims to serve as a mini land bridge connecting Penang Port and Sadao border.
- Efforts focus on establishing a distribution center to boost the southern border economy.
On October 19, 2026, Police Colonel Tawee Sodsong, party-list MP and leader of the Prachachat Party, led a delegation to visit the TEPA TRANSIT TERMINAL, a cargo and transshipment hub located in Pak Bang sub-district, Tepa district, Songkhla province. The visit aimed to gather public feedback and discuss economic development strategies and job creation in Thailand's southern border provinces.
During the visit, Mr. Anumat Amath, a former senator and the administrator of TEPA TRANSIT TERMINAL, welcomed the delegation and presented key insights into the project's background. He pointed out that developing a deep-sea port in Songkhla faces severe hurdles due to limited back-port areas, community constraints, municipal ordinances, and Environmental Impact Assessment regulations, while existing water logistics remain inadequate.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The initiative to develop Tepa Port into a mini land bridge highlights a decentralized approach to regional logistics by utilizing existing natural waterways rather than waiting for massive megaprojects that often stall due to environmental laws. Connecting maritime routes from Penang Port in Malaysia through the Dan Nok border checkpoint to Tepa offers a strategic shortcut to reduce transport costs and enhance the competitiveness of the southern border provinces.
To bypass traditional delays, the private sector invested in a coastal port using pre-existing navigational channels in Tepa. However, the project urgently requires government intervention to lift restrictive regulations, specifically concerning urban zoning and wildlife sanctuary boundaries, which currently prevent the expansion required for a fully functional distribution center.
Transforming Tepa Port into a mini land bridge is designed to link trade routes from Penang Port through to the border checkpoints, ultimately driving regional economic growth, creating local jobs, and improving livelihoods across the three southern border provinces.
Source: Khaosod Politics
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