Songkhla Chamber of Commerce has proposed a cruise port to draw Western high spenders while continuing to attract traditional visitors like Malaysians and Singaporeans.
In the proposal to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra during her visit to the province in February, the Marine Department would design the cruise port with a government budget, said Songphon Changsiriwattanathamrong, chamber president.
Without its own port, Songkhla, situated in the south of Thailand facing the Gulf of Thailand to the east, has missed the opportunity to create revenue, particularly among cruise lines travelling from Singapore, he said.
The government welcomed the proposal, Mr Songphon said, adding a delegation from the Singapore Tourism Board has visited the proposed site in Songkhla and surveyed the province's cultural tourism routes.
"One of our selling points that will attract cruises to stop in Songkhla is a package tour to the province's Old Town, which has historical and cultural richness to offer, among other attractions," he said.
Songchai Mungprasitthichai, president of Songkhla Tourism Promotion Association, said cruise ships passing the Gulf of Thailand usually make a stop in Koh Samui, in Surat Thani province. They then travel up to Chon Buri's Laem Chabang port before making their way to Vietnam and Taiwan. Western Andaman Sea destinations like Phuket island are also key stops for these ships, which can carry up to 5,000 passengers, he said.
Recalling past success, he said local tourism business operators in Songkhla and Singapore, from 1998 to 2001, attracted smaller cruises with about 1,800 and 2,800 passengers travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Songkhla's deep-sea port mostly for shopping and relaxation in the province, said Mr Songchai.
However, the new cruise port proposal would attract top Western spenders, he said, with vessels departing from Singapore and cruising along both the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. Mr Songphon, the chamber president, said plans to upgrade services and human resources in Songkhla would also follow.
