Chaiชนะ Urges Pipat to Dredge Pattani Port After 30 Years of Inaccessibility for Large Vessels
Chaiชนะ Dechdecho urges the government to resolve the issue where Pattani Port, completed 30 years ago, remains inaccessible to large ships and calls for urgent dredging funds.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Chaiชนะ Dechdecho urges the government to fix Pattani Port, unfinished in utility despite being built 30 years ago.
- The port's channel remains too shallow for large vessels due to a lack of continuous dredging.
- Transport Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn is urged to allocate immediate budget for channel dredging.
Infrastructure challenges in southern Thailand continue to demand urgent attention, as Chaiชนะ Dechdecho recently highlighted the ongoing difficulties faced by local fishermen and business operators in Pattani province. Despite the completion of the Pattani Port infrastructure 30 years ago, large commercial and fishing vessels remain unable to dock and unload cargo as originally intended by state investment plans.
The root cause of this limitation is the severe siltation of the port's navigational channel, which has accumulated over decades without sufficient maintenance dredging. Consequently, heavy commercial shipping cannot navigate the shallow waters, severely hindering the economic potential and coastal trade development in the lower Gulf of Thailand region.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Pattani Port represents a major state-funded infrastructure project intended to boost the grassroots economy and fishing industry in Thailand's southern border provinces. The inability of the port to operate at full capacity over the past three decades highlights a common governance hurdle where long-term maintenance budgets for public assets are overlooked. Channel dredging is a critical prerequisite for commercial maritime access, and securing funds for this project could significantly lower logistics costs and revitalize Pattani's regional economy.
In response to these persistent constraints, Chaiชนะ has formally called upon the government and relevant authorities—specifically Transport Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn—to prioritize annual budget allocation for the dredging project. Ensuring adequate channel depth will finally allow large vessels to utilize the facility safely, maximizing the return on a three-decade-old public investment for the local community.
Source: Matichon Politics
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