Exclusive-Thailand revives $30 billion coast-to-coast corridor to rival Malacca Strait

Thailand's government has revived a $30 billion 'Land Bridge' project to create a coast-to-coast corridor rivaling the Malacca Strait, aiming to transport goods between ports on opposite sides of the peninsula. The initiative, led by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, follows global disruptions like the Hormuz Strait closure and the Iran war, which exposed vulnerabilities in maritime trade routes. Local fisherman Chaiyaporn Arunrasamee opposes the project.