Sea navigation-based Thai Canal implication: an analysis of its effect on the Vietnamese maritime industry

ABSTRACT New maritime route through the Thai Canal has been proposed since the seventeenth century that would connect the Gulf of Thailand with the Andaman Sea. This waterway is estimated to become an alternate route as opposed to the current routes like the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. In this article, the advantages and disadvantages of the Thai Canal implication to Vietnamese maritime industry will be comprehensively analysed, considering o political, economic, sociological, legal, environmental, and security aspects. We find that the routes through the Thai Canal are largely beneficial to Vietnam, particularly economic aspect. Finally, several policies to maritime business are proposed to boost and reshape the Vietnamese maritime economy.