The Government supports the construction of a cruise terminal on Ko Samui, or Samui Island, in the southern province of Surat Thani to promote local tourism and upgrade Ko Samui to become one of the world’s top livable islands.

Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Srettha Thavisin made an inspection tour of Surat Thani and Nakhon Si Thammarat on 6-8 April 2024 to listen to the problems faced by local residents and receive their recommendations.

Speaking on the construction of the cruise terminal, the Prime Minister believed that the project would facilitate the travel of tourists and generate more income for local residents. Several private companies are interested in investing in this project.

He stated that the terminal would be able to accommodate 120 cruise ships and180,000 tourists annually and that it would generate 8,504 million baht in income, as tourists are expected to spend more on the island.

The Prime Minister said that he had instructed the Ministry of Transport to submit the project to the Cabinet for consideration by year-end as a New Year gift for local residents of Samui.

Moreover, he said, the Government would also promote the group of three tourism destinations together, comprising the islands of Samui, Pha-ngan, and Tao. In this regard, a seaplane base would be built to connect the travel between these islands A duty-free zone would be arranged, as well, at the cruise terminal to promote the sale of local products and add more value for them.

Samui has great potential for further growth and it also boasts several cultural destinations, as well as gastronomy tourism that should be made better known among prospective visitors.