TRAT: Local residents have raised concerns that a proposed coastal highway could damage mangrove forests and threaten oyster-farming livelihoods, despite government claims the project would boost tourism and the local economy.
A second public hearing on the proposed Phase 3 extension of the Chalerm Burapa Chonlathit coastal road drew sharp debate on Tuesday as officials promoted the project's economic benefits while residents warned of environmental damage.
Trat governor Piriya Chanthadilok chaired the hearing, which forms part of the feasibility study and environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the Chanthaburi–Trat section of the project. More than 200 people attended, including government officials, local leaders, community representatives and business operators. The Department of Rural Roads has hired consultants to study the project's feasibility and environmental and social impacts, with the findings expected to guide the route alignment and preliminary design.
Officials said the extension would complete a missing section of the eastern coastal route, which currently runs from Chon Buri through Rayong to Chanthaburi. They said extending the road to Trat would ease congestion on Highway 3 (Sukhumvit Road), shorten travel times and support tourism and trade.
Kachamon Somchai, a senior engineer at the Trat Rural Roads Office, said authorities hoped the route would become a scenic tourism corridor linking beaches, forests and fishing communities.
Governor Piriya said the project could improve road safety and travel convenience while strengthening Trat's tourism industry. He stressed that the project remains at the feasibility and EIA stage and said public participation would play a key role in shaping the final plan. Supporters urged authorities to move ahead quickly, citing economic benefits seen in Chanthaburi after earlier phases of the project boosted tourism and nearby businesses.
However, residents from Khao Saming district warned that the project could damage mangrove forests and affect oyster farming, a major source of income in Tha Som subdistrict. They said a proposed bridge across the Welu estuary could pollute oyster beds.
