Phiphat pushes for Thai maritime transport cost reduction and cruise h

Khaosod•Economy•10d ago

Reader Briefing

Deputy Prime Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakan chaired the 1/2026 Merchant Marine Promotion Committee meeting to enhance maritime competitiveness and reduce logistics costs.

•Phiphat Ratchakitprakan presided over the 1/2026 Merchant Marine Promotion Committee meeting.
•The meeting approved four key agendas focusing on multimodal transport, digital documentation, cruise tourism, and legal reform.
•Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul appointed Phiphat as the committee chairman via Order 96/2026 on April 24, 2026.
•The meeting aims to establish Phuket and the Andaman coast as a regional hub for yachts and cruise ships.

Overview

•Deputy Prime Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakan chaired the 1/2026 Merchant Marine Promotion Committee meeting after a long hiatus to align Thai maritime commerce with global changes.
•Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul issued Office of the Prime Minister Order 96/2026 on April 24, 2026, assigning Phiphat Ratchakitprakan as the committee chairman.
•The committee approved the Marine Department to coordinate with agencies for Multimodal Transport and the development of a Multimodal Transport Document (MTD) with the International Freight Forwarders Association.
•The meeting approved the acceleration of the Maritime Single Window (MSW) system to digitize vessel entry-exit and trade data.
•The Marine Department was tasked with developing Phuket and the Andaman coast as Marina hubs for yachts and superyachts to promote regional cruise tourism.
•The Marine Department was instructed to expedite the draft Merchant Marine Promotion Act to modernize industrial promotion structures.
•Meeting data indicates that global trade relies on maritime transport by more than 80 percent.
•Phiphat Ratchakitprakan directed the Marine Department and assigned agencies to implement the meeting resolutions into concrete action plans.

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Key Entities

Person

Phiphat Ratchakitprakan(พิพัฒน์ รัชกิจประการ)

Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Merchant Marine Promotion Committee.

Anutin Charnvirakul(อนุทิน ชาญวีรกูล)ℹ️

Prime Minister who appointed Phiphat Ratchakitprakan as committee chairman.

Organization

Merchant Marine Promotion Committee(คณะกรรมการส่งเสริมการพาณิชยนาวี)

A body responsible for proposing maritime commerce policies, development plans, and port development to the Cabinet.

Marine Department(กรมเจ้าท่า)

The agency tasked with coordinating multimodal transport, developing the MSW system, and promoting cruise hubs.

International Freight Forwarders Association(สมาคมผู้รับจัดการขนส่งสินค้าระหว่างประเทศ)

An association collaborating on the development of the Multimodal Transport Document (MTD).

Cabinet(คณะรัฐมนตรี)

The body to which the Merchant Marine Promotion Committee proposes policies and measures.

Office of the Prime Minister(สำนักนายกรัฐมนตรี)

The office that issued Order 96/2026 regarding the committee chairman.

Place

Phuket(ภูเก็ต)ℹ️

A province targeted for development as a yacht and cruise ship center.

Andaman(อันดามัน)

A coastal region targeted for development as a center for yacht marinas.

Law

Merchant Marine Promotion Act B.E. ....(พระราชบัญญัติส่งเสริมการพาณิชยนาวี พ.ศ. ....)

Proposed legislation to restructure and modernize the promotion of the maritime commerce industry.