Ranong among four finalists for planned Andaman mega-cruise-ship port

Nit Uitekkheng, deputy chairman of Ranong Chamber of Commerce, said on Friday that the other candidates were Phuket, Krabi, and Phang Nga provinces.

Feasibility studies are being conducted by the Ministry of Transport’s Marine Department, after which private partners will be invited to co-invest in the project.

“The project is good news for Ranong, which has a strategic location on the Andaman coast and the potential to be a hub for wellness tourism,” Nit said.

“A mega-cruise-ship port will significantly boost tourism and related industries in Ranong and nearby Andaman provinces,” he added.

The arrival of passengers from large cruise ships could transform Ranong’s tourism industry, he said, adding that the number of tourists arriving in Thailand by cruise ships has surged over the past decade and that they are high spenders.

On average they spend about US$ 400 each…