Govt has no policy as yet to excavate Kra Isthmus canal

[misskit]

BANGKOK, 10 February 2018 (NNT) – The government has no policy as yet to excavate Kra Isthmus canal, said Government Spokesman Lt Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd.

He said the government was aware of movement in the southern region to gather public support for the excavation of a Thai canal, namely Kra Isthmus canal, using shared posts on social media and fliers.

He quoted Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha as saying such movement was not related to the government policy as the Thai Canal project is merely in feasibility stage while security concerns and funding are yet to be taken into account, and that the project is not a top priority for the current government.

The rationale that the canal would boost the southern economy, given a shortcut between the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand was a personal opinion, he said, adding that the public should have discretion in coping with such information which might cause misunderstanding.

National News Bureau Of Thailand | Govt has no policy as yet to excavate Kra Isthmus canal

[VocalNeal]

Sing it like Alvin?

All I want for Isthmus is my twenty five percent
My twenty five percent
See my twenty five percent
Gee, if I could only have my twenty five percent
Then I could wish you, "Merry Christmas"

[birding]

Another environmental disaster in the planning, but hey it would give the southern terrorists a firm line to claim everything to the south.

It would have to be 500m wide at the bottom with a 33m water depth and would be between 50 and 100km long passing through land up to a height of 75m a huge excavation by any standard.

The Japs have suggested using 'nuclear excavation' to do the job, sounds safe eh.

[Seekingasylum]

I have already dismissed this stupid proposal in a previous thread, about two years ago, as I recall.

There is of course no economic basis to digging such a canal whatsoever since the fees necessary to recoup the stupendous costs of such a massive endeavour, equivalent to shifting earth on a cosmic scale , would be so stellar that no cargo ship would even consider using it to save a mere three days sailing time, at most.

I can never understand why the Thai can't simply dismiss this proposal, often aired regularly, as demonstrably imbecilic and leave it at that. I suppose it's down to some "hiso" personage talking out of their arse and they think they have to be polite and kiss it tenderly as they gently disabuse the fucking idiot of his cretinism.

[harrybarracuda]

He said the government was aware of movement in the southern region

Fnar Fnar

[birding]

I have already dismissed this stupid proposal in a previous thread, about two years ago, as I recall.

There is of course no economic basis to digging such a canal whatsoever since the fees necessary to recoup the stupendous costs of such a massive endeavour, equivalent to shifting earth on a cosmic scale , would be so stellar that no cargo ship would even consider using it to save a mere three days sailing time, at most.

I can never understand why the Thai can't simply dismiss this proposal, often aired regularly, as demonstrably imbecilic and leave it at that. I suppose it's down to some "hiso" personage talking out of their arse and they think they have to be polite and kiss it tenderly as they gently disabuse the fucking idiot of his cretinism.

Thats all right then as you are the authority that makes such decisions we can be assured it wont go ahead.

Or are you just some malcontent who has put himself in a position he has no control over and cant get out of so takes every opportunity to rant off against Thailand and the Thai people a subject he thinks he has vast knowledge of from his many years of travels in the country, mostly between the bar and pisshouse.

My apologies my tolerance of idiots needs an urgent upgrade.

[harrybarracuda]

I wonder how long it would take to recoup the cost?

Bunker fuel savings for a 100,000 dwt (deadweight) oil tanker could be as much as US$350,000 per trip.

The strait, the world's busiest shipping route, saw a record 84,000 vessels sail through it in 2016

I mean if you only charged 100k a vessel that's still $8.4 billion a year.

[Seekingasylum]

^^And you believe the modalities support an alternative view?

Or are you just some frazzled, incoherent dribbling oik whose intellectual grasp is as tenuous as his grip on what may pass for reality?

My apologies if my contempt requires re-calibration whilst it downgrades to mere disdain.

[Loy Toy]

^ Waiting for Thaksin's return.

Bearing in mind Malaysia and Singapore will never agree to it.

[Seekingasylum]

The distance saved in negotiating a route through the canal would be around 1000 nm, about three days sailing time assuming speed of 10kts. The cost of operating a mid sized container ship carrying average number of TEUs is around $10,000 per day. The Suez and Panama canals charge an average sized/loaded vessel around $300,000 per transit.
The Suez manages currently around 1200 transits a month, shipping companies are avoiding it given high cost and cheaper fuel making the Cape a better economic bet. The Panama canal averages 1,000 transits a month.

Thus, one can see at a glance that there is no fucking economic case for a Kra canal because no one would fucking use it, and if they did it would be in such numbers that it would take hundreds of years to recoup the cost of building it.

Harry has premised his revenue flow on the basis of around 84,000 transits a year. He is of course a fucking idiot. It's a fucking canal Harry, not a fucking motorway you twat. Also, at least 20 - 30 - 40% of that traffic through the straits is going to fucking Malaysia, Singapore or Indonesia or Australia and therefore wouldn't use a Kra canal.

Birdbrained, you moron.

[Loy Toy]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe Thaksin had financial backing from China years ago to fund the construction of the canal.

Would not have cost Thailand a baht and the revenue and business opportunity generated on the west eastern seaboard would have been phenomenal.

Not to mention that Thaksin and Hun Sen jointly have these oil leases to draw fossil fuels from and to ship the cargo quicker and significantly cheaper to India and abroad.

Looking forward to receiving your response.

[Loy Toy]

^ Well thanks for your response.

Obviously you have not been privy to some of the information I have been privy to and I cannot blame you for your scepticism.

[Norton]

Cost feasibility and environmental issues could easily take a back seat to China's strategic imperatives. China is determined and actively engaged to ensure it has alternative supply routes for goods considered in it's strategic interests.

A blockade of the straits would cripple China's economy. Offer a deal Thailand's corrupt government can't refuse and the canal will be built. I believe China will do it. Damn the environment. Full speed ahead.

If you have the will and the cash, which China has, nothing better than having rail and sea links in trusted bought off nations.

[Maanaam]

The cost of operating a mid sized container ship carrying average number of TEUs is around $10,000 per day

With saving 3 days that's a saving of $30,000 PLUS more trips per year (a very significant factor on the ROI of purchasing a ship), so a shipping company may see a $25,000 fee as reasonable.
Operating costs of the canal would be negligable, Kra needing no locks (So I've been told, though I'm sceptical on that aspect).
A mere 10 ships each way (reasonably conservative) is $500, 000 per day, 180 million per year.
I think a decent ROI is quite feasible considering the construction costs are Thai labour and materials.
A little bit of lateral thinking such as a man-made island utilising the cuttings and becoming a business in itself (resort, sea port for R&R etc), it could work.

^ I've heard that BKK hisos behind the concept have been buying up land along the route for years. There will certainly be some urging from some quarters.

As for the OP...it's as it should be. A temporary interim government should not be concerning itself with major infrastructure. No trains, no power stations, no canals and no submarines. They should be stamping out corruption and paving the way for elections, and just that.

[HuangLao]

Cost feasibility and environmental issues could easily take a back seat to China's strategic imperatives. China is determined and actively engaged to ensure it has alternative supply routes for goods considered in it's strategic interests.

A blockade of the straits would cripple China's economy. Offer a deal Thailand's corrupt government can't refuse and the canal will be built. I believe China will do it. Damn the environment. Full speed ahead.

If you have the will and the cash, which China has, nothing better than having rail and sea links in trusted bought off nations.

Nah. Don't think such a project would ever see the day of light.
Even when schemes of this nature have been bantered about a far back as the late 19th century.

[harrybarracuda]

If the chinkies want it one way, the arabs want it the other.

Get them to split the cost and hey presto! you're in business.

I expect the only thing stopping this is arguments over who trousers what.

Environmental issues?

Like the chinkies and the arabs give a flying fuck...

[OhOh]

Wheras the Thais do?

Panama canal employs 9,000+ people, that would be usefull.

[david44]

May be a while but once we have harnessed the tokamak electric costs via plasma diminish.Robt drill each side and a tunnel in the middle is technically feasible.

The real barrier will be corruption.

If the Chinese foot the bill they'll expect a canal zone just as Anglo French de Lesseps project and later Panama zone. Ironically similar and future new technolgy electric cargo planes cars may negate the need for moving oil around in big tins


https://www.sciencealert.com/the-uk-...fusion-reactor

[Seekingasylum]

Cost feasibility and environmental issues could easily take a back seat to China's strategic imperatives. China is determined and actively engaged to ensure it has alternative supply routes for goods considered in it's strategic interests.

A blockade of the straits would cripple China's economy. Offer a deal Thailand's corrupt government can't refuse and the canal will be built. I believe China will do it. Damn the environment. Full speed ahead.

If you have the will and the cash, which China has, nothing better than having rail and sea links in trusted bought off nations.

You are talking bollocks. The chinks are buying into the deep water Burmese port of Kyauk Pyu for their strategic supply of crude oil etc as an alternative to the Straits, but in truth they have no need to worry about any "blockade" since there is no country in the world likely to ever do that. If it were to be the Yanks then I think we could safely assume that the entire capitalist structure of the world will have collapsed and so who gives a fuck. But pursuing the fantasy, why do you think the chinks want a rail link through to the borders of Malaysia?? Should some anti-chink conspiracy inveigle the Malaysians/Singaporeans into supporting a blockade of the Straits then I should think they would find two divisions of the PLA on their border within 36 hours.

Anyway, as I said before but ignored by the stupid, the Kra canal couldn't hope to offer a viable alternative to the Straits passage given the limitations of available transits that would scarcely meet the demands of even 10% of the annual shipping demand.

A huge white chang only undertaken by the demented.