Share of EEC infrastructure projects Thailand 2023-2027, by type

Rail and public transport construction projects dominated the infrastructure projects contained in the action plan on the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) infrastructure and public utilities in Thailand, which covers the years 2023 to 2027, with a 45 percent share. In that same period, the total budget for EEC infrastructure projects amounted to approximately 337.8 billion Thai baht, almost one-fourth of the total investment value of the construction industry in the country.

Railway as EEC's key infrastructure initiative

The EEC's development plan focuses on the land transportation infrastructure between Bangkok and the EEC area, with the most investment allocated to this infrastructure segment in the EEC action plan. The high-speed rail linking three of Thailand’s major airports is the priority of this plan. This railway system will connect Don Muang Airport and Suvarnabhumi Airport in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region, which have the leading number of domestic and international air passengers in the country, to U-Tapao Airport in Rayong, one of the provinces in the ECC area. 

Eastern Economic Corridor development plans

Under the Thailand 4.0 scheme, the EEC Development Plan aims to enhance and revitalize the Eastern Seaboard Development Program, which had supported Thailand as a powerhouse for industrial production. The EEC development area consists of three provinces with leading gross provincial products (GPP) in the country: Chachoengsao, Chonburi, and Rayong. The Thai government has launched measures to develop public utilities, transportation systems, and logistics in the hope of creating a hub of investment and a center for regional transportation and logistics in the future.