Laem Chabang phase 3 slips as GPC seeks 4 billion baht
The dispute is over how densely the reclaimed sand is packed, and a fix by extra piling could take six months once all sides agree.
Terminal F1 at Laem Chabang, the first terminal of the port's phase 3, is late, and the delay now has a price tag. The concessionaire, GPC International Terminal, wrote to the Port Authority of Thailand (PAT) on 1 April 2026 asking for about 4 billion baht in compensation and a two-year extension, Infoquest reported on 30 April.
What phase 3 is
Phase 3 is a 110.924 billion baht project in Si Racha, Chonburi, with PAT funding 44% and private investors 56%, according to the Eastern Economic Corridor Office. Terminals F1 and F2 would each handle 2 million containers a year, and the whole project is meant to lift capacity from 11 million to 18 million. GPC holds the Terminal F concession, signed on 25 November 2021, for 35 years: two of building and 33 of operating.
The consortium is owned 40% by Gulf Energy Development, 30% by PTT Tank Terminal and 30% by CHEC Oversea Infrastructure Holding, The Nation reported.
Why the handover failed
PAT's job was to reclaim the sea and hand the land over. The Nation said the F1 area was due to GPC in November 2025 and was delayed by almost six months because the two contracts read the requirement differently.
Infoquest gives the numbers. The reclamation contract, worth 21.32 billion baht, requires that the ground settle no more than 20 centimetres over 30 years. GPC's concession requires relative density of at least 75%. The reclamation contractor has finished F1 and handed it to PAT, but GPC has not accepted it because the fill does not meet the concession's specification. The target moved from November 2025 to June 2026.
A fix exists. Experts proposed combining driven sheet piles with vibro piles to densify the fill, which they estimated would cut the cost by half, from 2 billion baht to 1 billion baht. If the parties agree, piling would proceed within six months, said an acting PAT deputy director.
The Nation said the fix needs approval from PAT's board, which had not yet been appointed in April. If PAT, GPC and the EEC Office agree, it can run under the existing contract. Otherwise the EEC Policy Committee and the cabinet must approve a contract amendment, which takes longer.
What the government has done
The deputy transport minister ordered a neutral committee of Engineering Institute of Thailand experts with a 60-day target. Any answer, he said, has to be lawful, transparent and fair to the state. By 9 July WorldCargo News reported that senior officials had visited the site to try to resolve the dispute. None of the sources we reviewed reports an outcome after that.
When the terminal opens
Dates conflict. The EEC Office page, with progress as of 31 October 2025, still lists F1 opening in 2027 and F2 in 2031. In March, PAT's acting director told Logistics Manager that F1 construction finishes in 2028 and service starts in 2031. Infoquest in April also gave 2031. The Nation said F1 was planned for 2028 and might slip to 2030 to open with F2.
Other work is moving. F2 reclamation is more than 89% complete, with handover expected around mid-2026, Infoquest said. The 7.298 billion baht contract for terminal buildings, roads and utilities started on 13 December 2024. Progress figures differ: Logistics Manager gave 10.483% for facility construction in March, and Infoquest gave 20% to 30% for the contract in April. Equipment and IT are still at draft tender terms, with the contractor tender expected late in 2026.
Why exporters should care
The EEC Office page, citing PAT, says trucks carry 87.7% of freight to and from the port, ships 6.6% and rail 5.7%, and phase 3 aims to lift rail from 7% to 30%. A late F1 delays both added container capacity and the rail link. Officials also want to attract transshipment as Singapore and Malaysia approach capacity.
Two things to watch: whether PAT and GPC agree the piling fix, and whether the EEC Policy Committee has to amend the contract.
FAQ
When will Laem Chabang Terminal F1 open?
Reports from March and April 2026 say service starts in 2031. The EEC Office page, with older data, lists 2027.
Why was the land not handed to GPC?
GPC has not accepted the reclaimed fill because it does not meet the concession's density requirement, and PAT's reclamation contract was written to a different standard, according to Infoquest and The Nation.
Who owns the GPC consortium?
Gulf Energy Development holds 40%, PTT Tank Terminal 30% and CHEC Oversea Infrastructure Holding 30%, according to The Nation.
Sources
- Infoquest: Deputy transport minister tells PAT to speed up Laem Chabang phase 3 after GPC claims 4 billion baht for delays
- Eastern Economic Corridor Office: Laem Chabang Port Phase 3
- The Nation: Laem Chabang port revamp faces new contract hurdle
- Logistics Manager: Laem Chabang Port advances phase 3 expansion to strengthen Thai logistics
- WorldCargo News: Laem Chabang expansion delayed
