Thailand in 2037

1 of 8 · The plan's vision

A livable country, connected to its whole region

The plan fits in one sentence: "a livable country for all, connected to its region, driven by innovation, ready for sustainable growth". Its first move is regional: corridors to Kunming, Vientiane, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, Kuala Lumpur and Yangon, and a land bridge between the Gulf and the Andaman Sea. And it sets itself three deadlines: 2027, 2032, 2037.

2 of 8 · First horizon · the Northeast

By 2027, high-speed rail races toward Laos

Follow the line: it leaves Bangkok, crosses the Khao Yai hills, reaches Nakhon Ratchasima and climbs to Nong Khai, on the Mekong, opposite Vientiane. It is the plan's first move, already funded or under construction: bringing Bangkok closer to the railway that runs down from Kunming to Vientiane. Around it, on the same deadline, upgraded airports, Bangkok's water and the first charging points in nine large cities light up.

3 of 8 · First horizon · the East coast

Three airports on one line, down to Pattaya

The second line of 2027 leaves Don Mueang, runs through Suvarnabhumi and down the coast to U-Tapao, Pattaya's airport, which the plan surrounds with an airport city through to the final horizon. Pattaya also gets mass transit and a cruise terminal at Bali Hai. Below, in soft gold, our 1,173 developments in Chon Buri province: here the State arrives on a market already there.

developments tracked in Chon Buri province

1,173

4 of 8 · Second horizon · the Gulf

By 2032, Hua Hin on high-speed rail from Bangkok

The line draws itself over five years, from Bangkok to the southwest, follows the Gulf and reaches Hua Hin, the royal seaside town; in its province, Prachuap Khiri Khan, we track 499 developments. For a buyer, this is the change that matters: Hua Hin stops being a weekend drive and becomes a town connected to the capital. At the same time, high-speed rail also climbs to Phitsanulok, and a new line leaves Mae Sot, on the Myanmar border.

developments tracked in Prachuap Khiri Khan province (Hua Hin)

499

5 of 8 · Third horizon · the North

In 2037, Chiang Mai at the end of high-speed rail

From Phitsanulok, the line pushes into the northern mountains and emerges into the Chiang Mai valley, where we track 808 developments. The city is not waiting for the line: a second international airport and mass transit are listed from 2027, and Chiang Mai joins the plan's sponge cities at the last deadline.

developments tracked in Chiang Mai province

808

6 of 8 · Third horizon · the South

In 2037, from Hua Hin to Malaysia

The last line runs down the peninsula: Hua Hin, Chumphon, Surat Thani — the gateway to Samui; we track 377 developments in its province — then Hat Yai and Padang Besar, on the Malaysian border. Phuket, to the west, is not waiting for high-speed rail: a second airport, a cruise terminal and a line from Surat Thani toward Phang Nga and Phuket airport are listed from 2027, above our 1,358 developments. In all, the plan counts 8 high-speed lines, 9 double tracks, 16 new double-track lines, 24 motorways and 2 bridges to neighbouring countries.

high-speed lines in the plan

8

new double-track lines

16

7 of 8 · The market under the plan

From dense gold to empty land: the State arrives before the market

The camera leaves Pattaya, crosses Bangkok and climbs toward the Northeast. In soft gold, the 7,964 developments we track: they fit in 6 of the 77 provinces, and Bangkok alone holds 3,749. Past Saraburi the gold goes out; the plan's lines carry on. The plan, for its part, equips the Northeast, the borders and the South first. Where the two meet — Bangkok, the East around U-Tapao, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin, Surat Thani — the State arrives on a market already there. Elsewhere, it arrives first.

provinces where we track developments

6

provinces in the country

77

8 of 8 · Going into detail

Six guides to read the plan city by city

This film shows the calendar. The series' six guides go into detail, each on a buyer's question: the cities where jobs are being built, the new gateways, high-value tourism, year-round living, the landscape, and the step from landscape to project. Each crosses the plan with our developments, on the same date.