Enviro News Asia, Washington, D.C. — The Board of Executive Directors of the World Bank has approved a US$140.76 million project to strengthen transport connectivity, create jobs, and support biodiversity conservation in southern Thailand.
The Thailand Resilient Transport and Irrawaddy Dolphin Conservation Project will finance the construction of two climate-resilient bridges while supporting national efforts to protect a critically endangered sub-population of Irrawaddy dolphins in Songkhla Lake. The project is expected to generate economic opportunities and improve access to markets and services for approximately 350,000 people.
The initiative integrates infrastructure development with environmental protection, aligning transport investments with Thailand’s newly approved Irrawaddy Dolphin Conservation Plan. Implementation of the plan will be co-financed by a US$4 million grant from PROBLUE, which will also facilitate access to international expertise and best practices in marine conservation.
The project includes the construction of a 7-kilometer bridge across Songkhla Lake, reducing travel time by up to two hours, and a 2-kilometer bridge connecting Koh Lanta to mainland Krabi. These links are expected to improve regional connectivity, enhance disaster evacuation routes, and strengthen resilience to floods, storms, and sea-level rise. More than three million tourists annually are projected to benefit from improved accessibility.
In addition to infrastructure works, the project will support conservation measures such as reducing dolphin mortality from fishing gear entanglement, strengthening protected area management, and promoting alternative livelihoods for fishing communities.
The project was developed through consultations with civil society groups, national and international non-governmental organizations, experts, and local communities, who will continue to provide technical input during implementation.
This approval marks the World Bank’s first lending operation in Thailand in 15 years and highlights the country’s approach to combining climate-resilient development with biodiversity conservation. (*)
