Island Hopping Adventure Awaits: New Maritime Route to Connect Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia

• Sommana Yan
• 24 June 2024
• Local News
• 2177 Views

Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam are collaborating on a new maritime route to enhance tourism, trade, investment, and industrial activities along their coastal regions. The project, connecting Thailand’s Trat province, Cambodia’s Sihanoukville, and Vietnam’s Kien Giang, aims to foster economic growth and was announced during the “Cambodia-Vietnam-Thailand Economic Corridor (CVTEC) – Trat Business Roadshow 2024″ on 16 June 2024, as reported by Nation Thailand on 17 June 2024.

Chamnan Srisawat, Chairman of the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT), stated, “TCT is accelerating the organisation of the CVTEC Tripartite Conference, with TCEB as the co-organiser and main sponsor. The main goal of the project is to promote maritime connectivity between the three countries under the vision of creating a ‘One Market, Three Destinations‘.”

Wiyada Suang, Vice Chairman of the Trat Provincial Tourism Council, mentioned that the new sea lane is expected to be operational for cruise ships in early November, coinciding with the peak tourist season. “This new route will provide tourists with unprecedented opportunities to explore the islands with a new and unforgettable experience, starting from Pattaya Beach to Lam Chabang in Thailand, then on to Trat, Sihanoukville, and Kien Giang in Vietnam, and back the same way,” added Apichai Somboonpakorn, Deputy Director of the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB).

Cambodia sees Sihanoukville as a prime location to benefit from a new regional project connecting Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand, according to industry leaders. Ms. Chhay Sivlin, President of the Cambodian Tourism Association, highlighted Sihanoukville’s existing infrastructure in an interview with RFI on 19 June: “Sihanoukville is the best because we already have the infrastructure in the province… We do not need to build anything more. Just add some more products and services, we can receive guests.”

The project’s potential extends beyond tourism, with Mr Oknha Lim Heng, Vice President of the Cambodian Chamber of Commerce, emphasizing the chance to boost Sihanoukville’s commercial economy: “If we plan to connect the three countries, it will be an opportunity for our Sihanoukville province to boost the commercial economy, to reopen the stalemate and to build new ones.”

However, challenges exist. Mr. Thuon Sinan, President of the Asia-Pacific Tourism Association, identified weaknesses in service offerings and competition: “In the past, our weakness was in the product and our service itself. And we have struggled to compete in the market. To this day, whether in the public or private sector, we still rely on others and have never competed directly in the market. As a result, we are just a country that continues to depend on others, meaning tourists spend money in Vietnam and Thailand instead of here. This must change. We need to be bold, invest in our market, and strive for growth.”

During the meeting, representatives from the private and public sectors of Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, tourism, and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) activities along the new waterway, further boosting the economic integration of the region.

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