Transport Ministry Upgrades Ranong and Songkhla Ports

Matichon•Economy•1d ago

Reader Briefing

The Ministry of Transport and private sector have upgraded Ranong and Songkhla ports to enhance southern Thailand's maritime trade capabilities.

•Ranong Port successfully accommodated a 5,725 gross ton cargo ship for the first time.
•Songkhla Port has installed two Ship to Shore (STS) cranes and is currently testing the system.
•The upgrades aim to connect Thailand with South Asia, BIMSTEC countries, China, Korea, and Japan.

Overview

•Sanpetch Bunyamanee announced the success of upgrading southern ports on the Andaman and Gulf of Thailand sides on September 15.
•Ranong Port now supports cargo ships of 5,725 gross tons and can handle over 400 containers.
•Sanpetch Bunyamanee instructed the Port Authority of Thailand to increase capacity during a visit to Ranong Port on June 12, 2026.
•Two Ship to Shore (STS) cranes have been installed at Songkhla Port following a visit by Sanpetch Bunyamanee on August 30, 2026.
•STS cranes at Songkhla Port allow the port to handle ships without on-board cranes and increase the speed of container loading and unloading.
•Songkhla Port aims to increase annual cargo volume from 2 million to 4 million tons and container volume from 150,000 to 450,000 TEUs within 5-6 years.
•Ranong Port will improve the back-port area for container yards, warehouses, and truck parking to support the Ranong-Chittagong trade route.
•Songkhla Port will test STS cranes and perform dredging to maintain water depth standards for large cargo ships.

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Key Quotes

Sanpetch Bunyamanee

"Today we see tangible success, both in receiving a large cargo ship at Ranong for the first time and the installation of STS cranes at Songkhla Port."

วันนี้เราเห็นผลสำเร็จที่จับต้องได้ ทั้งการรับเรือสินค้าขนาดใหญ่ที่ระนองเป็นครั้งแรก และการติดตั้งเครน STS ที่ท่าเรือสงขลา

Key Entities

Person

Sanpetch Bunyamanee(สรรเพชญ บุญญามณี)

Deputy Minister of Transport who oversaw the port upgrades in southern Thailand.

Organization

Ministry of Transport(กระทรวงคมนาคม)ℹ️

The government ministry responsible for upgrading the potential of southern ports.

Port Authority of Thailand(การท่าเรือแห่งประเทศไทย)ℹ️

The agency instructed to increase port capacity and develop service systems.

BIMSTECℹ️

A group of countries connected to Thailand via the Ranong-Chittagong trade route.

Place

Ranong Port(ท่าเรือระนอง)

A port on the Andaman side serving as a trade gateway to South Asia and BIMSTEC.

Songkhla Port(ท่าเรือสงขลา)

A port on the Gulf of Thailand side serving as an export gateway to East Asian markets.

Chittagong(จิตตะกอง)ℹ️

A destination in the Ranong-Chittagong trade route connecting Thailand to Bangladesh.

Policy

Ranong Gateway

A policy to push Ranong Port to be the trade gateway of the Andaman.