Isthmus of Kra
The Isthmus of Kra is the isthmus that connects the Malay Peninsula with the Asian continent. At its narrowest point between the Thai cities of Kraburi and Chumphon , the coastline between the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand is only 44 km. Most of the isthmus belongs to Thailand , to the west and north of the narrowest point is Myanmar .
Kra Canal
Since the shipping route around the Malay Peninsula would be significantly shortened by a canal on the isthmus, there were plans to build a Kra Canal or Thai Canal as early as the 17th century . Because of the immense costs and also because of the anticipated environmental problems, plans have so far remained in place to build this canal near the narrowest point or a little further south between Surat Thani and Phang-nga . According to a newspaper report from Asia, Thailand and China are said to have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on May 15, 2015 , which provides for the joint planning and construction of such a canal.
The canal plans are also a geostrategic political issue: the immense importance of the ports in Singapore is based on the fact that shipping traffic has to bypass the Malay Peninsula. A navigable canal in the Isthmus of Kra would reduce this importance considerably. So Singapore is against building the canal. On the other hand, China would benefit from the canal; because 90% of its vital oil imports go through the Strait of Malacca and the Strait of Singapore around Malaysia .
literature
- Wolf Donner: The Five Faces of Thailand . Institute of Asian Affairs, Hamburg 1978. Paperback edition: University of Queensland Press, St. Lucia, Queensland 1982, ISBN 0-7022-1665-8
Web links
- Thailand, China sign agreement to construct a new strategic Kra Canal (seatrade-maritime.com)
- Renewed hype over China-Thai canal project: 5 things about the Kra Canal (Asia, The Straits Times)
- Resurgent interest in a Kra canal poses threat to Dawei project (mizzima)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Hans-Jürgen Witthöft: The Kra Canal - an ancient project before the realization? MarineForum 7 / 8-2015, p. 12.
Coordinates: 10 ° 11 ' N , 98 ° 53' E