Bangkok Port Authority opens new free zone

PRESS RELEASE

The new Free Zone was opened on January 10, 2024 at a ceremony presided over by Mr. Kriengkrai Chaisiriwongsuk, Director General Port Authority of Thailand and representatives from WCAworld and its members Full Well Freight were in attendance.

Realising its vision to create a new goods contribution center right in the heart of Bangkok, the Port Authority of Thailand today dedicated a total of 24,000 sqm of warehousing and container yard to be the first Free Zone in the Chao Praya River area to grow services in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region for importers, exporters, international freight forwarders, service providers and customers. In addition, at the ceremony, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Port Authority of Thailand and Sahathai Terminal and Port Authority of Thailand and Boxman (on behalf of Oknha Mong Port, Cambodia) to further support international logistics, and transportation of goods as well as answer the needs of exporters and importers in Thailand and beyond.

Full Well Freight, a WCAworld member in Thailand, is the first Freight Forwarder to be granted a license to operate within the new Free Zone with a dedicated warehouse and container yard. These facilities can be used for goods consolidation, domestic distribution management and re-export to 3^rd countries. The facilities will allow users to reduce storage times and shipping costs, as the facility is more conveniently located to the major shipping lines and will see shorter transit times to connections via road rail and air.

‘Bangkok Port Free Zone’ is under the sustainable development plan of Port Authority of Thailand aligned with the National Strategy (The Trade Competition Act) and its vision that ‘Thailand becomes a developed country with security, prosperity and sustainability in accordance with the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy’.

Port Authority of Bangkok stated: “Although it’s a new service model for Port Authority of Thailand, we have a strong intention to develop the area to support today’s economy. So, we are open for a collaboration with both private and public sectors under the belief, with common goals, we can collaborate and make it stronger.”

WCAworld’s Chief Executive Officer, Dan March, added: “We were delighted to hear that one of our members, Full Well Freight, had been given the first license to operate in this new Free Zone. It is a great facility that will help members grow their business in Thailand and Southeast Asia.’