Govt to consider development projects for EEC

BANGKOK, May 26 (TNA) – The Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) Administrative Committee will propose construction of the double-track rail link to connect three ports in the eastern provinces. Secretary-General of the Eastern Economic Corridor Policy Committee Khanit Saengsuphan said that the meeting of the EEC Administrative Committee, chaired by Ministry of Industry agreed with the plan to connect Sattahip Port and Laemchabang Port in Chonburi and Map Ta Phut in Rayong with double railway tracks directly. Under the plan, the existing railway track will be upgraded into the double tracks and the new double-track route will be constructed from Chon Buri’s Sriracha district to the eastern economic corridor, spanning three provinces, Chachoengsao, Chon Buri and Rayong. The construction is expected to be finished in 2021. Moreover, additional Inland Container Depots (ICD) will be built to receive goods for factories from neighbouring countries for delivering by trains to the Laem Chabang Port before exporting to the third countries. The upgrade of the railway tracks will increase railway transportation from eight per cent to 30 per cent and will help cut road transportation. The discussed plan will be forwarded to the Eastern Economic Corridor Policy Committee meeting to be chaired by the Prime Minister on June 16 at the Laem Chabang Port, in which the budget and investment plan of the project will be considered. (TNA)