Bangkok: The Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) held a seminar to gather feedback from the private sector on the expressway project connecting Koh Samui. The EXAT governor revealed that the construction will not affect the pink dolphin population but will impact the coral reefs off the coast of Koh Samui. Therefore, an additional 1 billion baht will be allocated for a route that bypasses the coral reefs.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Surachet Laopoonsuk, Governor of the Expressway Authority of Thailand, presided over the seminar to gather private sector opinions on engineering, economics, finance, and environmental impacts for the Koh Samui expressway project. Mr. Surachet noted that tourism in Koh Samui is thriving, with Surat Thani generating 200 billion baht per year, primarily from Koh Samui. The project aims to integrate infrastructure to provide 24-hour access from the mainland to Koh Samui, addressing current limitations due to weather conditions and emergencies.
The private sector raised concerns about the project’s potential impact on the pink dolphin population and coral reefs. The Governor clarified that an additional 1 billion baht has been allocated to construct a bridge across the coral reefs, while the pink dolphins are not within the construction area. Necessary permissions have been secured from relevant authorities.
The Koh Samui Expressway project, an elevated sea expressway, will connect the mainland and Koh Samui with a four-lane road beginning at Highway 4142 in Don Sak District, Surat Thani Province, and ending at Highway 4170 in Taling Ngam Subdistrict. The total length is approximately 37.41 kilometers.
The project’s investment, totaling approximately 74,044 million baht, includes costs for land acquisition, construction, supervision, and maintenance. It is expected to begin construction in 2028, with completion in 2033. Despite a Financial Internal Rate of Return (FIRR) of -0.31%, toll fees are projected to generate 3.25 million baht per day by 2034, with estimated revenue over 30 years at approximately 80,108 million baht.