Transport Minister Lures Disneyland and 80,000-Seat Stadium to EEC
Deputy PM Pipat Ratchakitprakarn accelerates plans for 'Magnet Projects' to connect tourism hubs, justifying the high-speed rail investment
- Thailand's Transport Minister is proposing two major projects for the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC): a world-class amusement park, with Disneyland mentioned as a potential operator, and a new 80,000-seat national stadium.
- These "Magnet Projects" are intended to attract tourists and investment, primarily to ensure the financial viability of the High-Speed Rail project that connects three major airports.
- The proposed developments are aimed at transforming the Pattaya-Chonburi area into a new regional hub for entertainment, sports, and international events.
- While feasibility studies are underway, the projects are considered long-term concepts that may not be completed during the current government's term.
Deputy PM Pipat Ratchakitprakarn accelerates plans for 'Magnet Projects' to connect tourism hubs, justifying the high-speed rail investment.
Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, has disclosed an ambitious plan to bolster the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) by attracting major global entertainment investment.
Pipat stated that he is pushing the EEC to swiftly implement strategies to draw tourists and investment into critical infrastructure, particularly the High-Speed Rail (HSR) project linking three major airports: Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi, and U-Tapao.
The minister revealed that preliminary feasibility studies are underway for large-scale "Magnet Projects" aimed at transforming the Pattaya-Chonburi area into a new regional hub for entertainment and sports.
The two key projects under consideration are:
A World-Class Amusement Park: The Minister confirmed that the concept involves securing a large park operator, mentioning the possibility of attracting global names such as "Disneyland" to invest.
Preliminary studies suggest the land requirement for such a project would not exceed 3,000 rai (approximately 1,185 acres).
This development is intended to significantly elevate the EEC as a destination for families and international tourists.
A National Stadium: A new, international-standard football stadium with a large capacity of 80,000 seats is planned.
This facility would be used to host global sporting competitions and large concerts, helping to disperse congestion currently centred in Bangkok.
The EEC has been instructed to secure additional land for this construction.
Pipat stressed that these developments are essential to make the HSR project viable.
"The High-Speed Rail linking the three airports and U-Tapao airport needs to have 'charm' to attract more people to travel to the area, especially in terms of tourism and major events," he said. "Since we don't have an Entertainment Complex, we must find other Entertainment Value to compensate, especially given our status as a world-leading tourist city."
The addition of these Magnet Projects is designed to build confidence among private sector concessionaires, ensuring that passenger volumes on major projects like the HSR meet their targets.
While the minister acknowledged that these massive construction projects may not be completed during the current government's term, he insisted they represent crucial concepts that must be discussed urgently with the EEC and private operators to prepare for implementation in the next phase.
The EEC and relevant agencies have been assigned immediate policy tasks to create incentives across the four provinces: Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi, and Chachoengsao.
