Thailand’s Ministry of Transport is collaborating with the Port Authority of Thailand (PAT) to implement new traffic management measures and advance infrastructure development at Laem Chabang Port, the country’s largest container gateway. The initiatives were reviewed during an operational visit by Deputy Transport Minister Sanpetch Boonyamanee on June 5, 2026, alongside representatives from PAT, Chonburi Province and port management teams.
Laem Chabang Port handled a record 10.15 million TEUs over the past year, reinforcing its position among the world’s busiest container ports. The increase in trade activity resulted in more than 413,000 container truck movements during the past month alone. To improve logistics efficiency and reduce congestion, the Ministry of Transport has introduced a three-tier operational framework focused on traffic management, cargo handling efficiency and long-term infrastructure enhancement.
The first component involves the development of a dedicated 50-acre truck staging area to accommodate vehicles before entering the terminal complex, helping to reduce congestion on surrounding roads. Secondly, a joint traffic management committee comprising terminal operators, customs authorities, highway agencies, local governments and police will coordinate truck movements and target processing rates of at least 50 trucks per hour at main gates, supported by additional lanes during peak periods. The third component focuses on long-term infrastructure improvements, including optimisation of internal traffic layouts, revised tariff mechanisms to encourage faster container collection, and a strategy to increase rail freight utilisation. The government aims to transport at least 50 per cent of cargo between Laem Chabang Port and the Lat Krabang Inland Container Depot (ICD) by rail.
The Phase 3 expansion is expected to significantly enhance Thailand’s maritime capacity, strengthen regional trade connectivity and support the country’s long-term logistics and economic development objectives. Discussions during the visit also addressed workforce welfare, staff development and community benefits associated with the port’s continued growth.