Bangkok: The head of the truck industry has announced a planned increase in transportation fees to Laem Chabang, effective July 1, 2025, prompting the National Transport Department to request urgent government action.
According to Thai News Agency, the Thai National Shippers' Council (TNSC) has urged the government to address severe congestion at Laem Chabang Port, which is set to lead to increased shipping costs and impact exporters' expenses significantly.
The TNSC highlights that efforts to alleviate congestion at Laem Chabang Port over the past decade have been ineffective, with some reports indicating that container trucks can spend up to 20 hours per trip at the port. The Land Transport Federation of Thailand has announced additional fees for parking and waiting during traffic jams, which will be imposed alongside the usual transportation costs from July 1, 2025.
The congestion issue poses an economic challenge, with potential additional costs for exporters and importers estimated between 12,000-20,000 million baht per year. This could affect the competitiveness of Thai exports and lead to increased consumer goods prices domestically. Additionally, prolonged truck parking at the port may contribute to PM2.5 pollution, impacting local public health.
The TNCT has proposed a range of measures to address the systemic congestion issues at Laem Chabang Port. These include providing adequate container storage space, implementing policy-level interventions, and accelerating infrastructure and technology developments. Key proposals involve establishing a policy-level committee, developing a master plan, and increasing rail and water freight proportions.
Furthermore, the TNCT suggests enhancing work processes through a mandatory truck queue system and developing a Port Community System for real-time data integration. They also recommend legislative changes to ensure 24/7 operations for customs and related inspections at the port and revising port concession contracts to improve service levels.