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Thailand's Kra Isthmus and Elusive Canal Plans since the 1850s

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 December 2015

Stephen Dobbs
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Abstract

This article uses primarily British colonial documents and Singapore sources to examine the history of proposals for the construction of a shipping canal through Thailand's Kra Isthmus from the 1850s. It provides historical background for continuing interest in constructing a Kra canal with the most recent speculative discussions involving Chinese interests. Since the 1850s the idea of a canal was revived on numerous occasions with several detailed surveys conducted over this time to assess the feasibility of a shipping canal via the Kra Isthmus. This research examines how speculation and actual proposals were handled by the British colonial authorities and how this related to the British policy of using Siam/Thailand as a buffer state separating their colonies and those of their European rival France. In colonial Singapore canal proposals created great angst and to some extent this has continued to be the case to the present day. The article suggests that while British colonial policy was always against, or at least not in favour of, the construction of a canal, other factors are equally important for explaining why canal proposals never proceeded beyond planning and surveys.

Keywords

KracanalcolonialThailandSingapore
Type
Articles
Information
TRaNS: Trans-Regional and -National Studies of Southeast Asia , Volume 4 , Special Issue 1: Student Mobility within Southeast Asia , January 2016 , pp. 165 - 186
Copyright
Copyright © Institute of East Asian Studies, Sogang University 2015 

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References

References

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Ingram, James C. 1971. Economic Change in Thailand, 1850–1970. California: Stanford University Press.Google Scholar
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Kong, Bo. 2010. The geopolitics of the Myanmar-China oil and gas pipelines. In National Bureau of Asian Research, Special Report 23. Pipeline Politics in Asia: The Intersection of Demand, Energy Markets, and Supply Routes, pp.55–66. Seattle: The National Bureau of Asian Research.Google Scholar
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Rajaretnam, M. 1978. Thailand's Kra Canal some issues, Research Notes and Discussion Paper no. 8. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.Google Scholar
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SinoShip News. 2015. China linked to Thai canal plans, 2 February. Available at http://splash247.com/China-linked-to-Thai-canal-plans/ (accessed on 1 Sept. 2015)Google Scholar
South China Morning Post. 2003, 5 August.Google Scholar
Straits Observer. 1876, 12 May.Google Scholar
Straits Times. 1962, 13 February; 2000, 9 March; 2004, 17 January, 29 April.Google Scholar
Sunday Mail. 1962, 12 February.Google Scholar
Sydney Morning Herald. 2005, March.Google Scholar
Tarling, Nicholas. 1962. Anglo-Dutch Rivalry in the Malay world, 1780–1824. Brisbane: University of Queensland Press.Google Scholar
Tarling, Nicholas. 1975. Imperial Britain In Southeast Asia. Kuala Lumpur and New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Thapa, R., M., Kusanagi, A., Kitazumi, and Y., Murayama 2007. Sea navigation, challenges and potentials in South East Asia: an assessment of suitable sites for a shipping canal in the South Thai Isthmus. GeoJournal 70(2–3), 161–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
The Australian. 2004, 19 July.Google Scholar
The Guardian (London). 1972, 12 July; 2008, 21 November.Google Scholar
The Korean Herald. 2004, 19 June.Google Scholar
The Nation. 2002, 22 February.Google Scholar
Wurtzburg, Charles Edward and Clifford, Witting. 1990 [1954]. Raffles of the Eastern Isles: (by) C.E.Wurtzburg. Singapore: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Foreign Office Records (FO). The National Archives, Kew; London. As indicated in notes.Google Scholar
Fraser, A. (Captain) and J.G.R., Forlong “Report on a Route from the Mouth of the Pakchan to Kraw, and thence across the Isthmus of Kraw to the Gulf of Siam.” 26 April 1861. The National Archives, Kew; London, Foreign Office 69/105.Google Scholar
Government of Singapore. 2004. Case Concerning Sovereingty Over Pedra Branca/ Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge (Malaysia/ Singapore): Memorial of Singapore. Available from website of the International Court of Justice. Available at: http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/130/14133.pdf (accessed on 1 Sept. 2015).Google Scholar
Miscellaneous Papers Relating to Indo-China. Reprinted for the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. Trubner & Co., London. 1886. Vol. 1.Google Scholar
Office of Cabinet (CAB). The National Archives, Kew; London. As indicated in notes.Google Scholar
Parliamentary Debates (United Kingdom). As indicated in notes.Google Scholar
Public Record Office (PRO). The National Archives, Kew; London. As indicated in notes.Google Scholar
Straits Settlements Records (SSR). National Archives of Singapore. As indicated in notes.Google Scholar
United Nations. 2010. Review of maritime transport 2010. Conference on Trade and Development Secretariat and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. Special chapter on developments in Asia. (United Nations RMT/2010/Corr.1; New York).Google Scholar
United Nations. 2014. Review of maritime transport 2014. Conference on Trade and Development Secretariat and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. (United Nations RMT/2014/; New York).Google Scholar
United States Energy Information Administration. 2011. Maritime choke points critical to petroleum markets. Available at: http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=330 (accessed 12 Dec. 2013, 1 Nov 2014, and 20 Jan 2015).Google Scholar
United States Energy Information Administration. 2014. World oil transit chokepoints. Available at: http://www.eia.gov/countries/regions-topics.cfm?fips=WOTC (accessed 10 Jan. 2015).Google Scholar
Wise Henry to Sir Wood Charles (Sir). Letter and “Memorandum relating to the Isthmus of Kraw Railway”. 29 December 1859.Google Scholar
Bangkok Post. 2000, 2 January.Google Scholar
Bangkok Times. 1938, 11 April.Google Scholar
Boonma, Sawai. 2015. Big ideas like Kra Canal take guts to follow through on. Bangkokpost. 7 January. Available at: http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/454940/big-ideas-like-kra-canal-take-guts-to-follow-through-on (accessed on 1 Sept. 2015)Google Scholar
Bowring, John. 1857. The kingdom and people of Siam; with a narrative of the mission to that country in 1855. 2 vols. London: John W. Parker and Son.Google Scholar
Brailey, Nigel. 1999. The scramble for concessions in 1880s Siam. Modern Asian Studies, 33(3), 513–49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chankaiyee. 2014. China to Bypass Malacca Strait by Kra Isthmus Canal in Thailand. China Daily Mail. 16 March. Available at http://chinadailymail.com/2014/03/16/china-to-bypass-malacca-strait-by-kra-isthmus-canal-in-thailand/ (accessed on 1 Sept. 2015).Google Scholar
Christian, John L and Nobutake, Ike. June 1942. Thailand in Japan's foreign relations. Pacific Affairs 15(2), 195–221.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Economist. 1963. A very big ditch. 30 November.Google Scholar
Farrelly, Nicholas. 2011. Counting Thailand's Coups. New Mandala, 8 March 2011. Available at: http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2011/03/08/counting-thailands-coups/ (accessed on 2 Feb. 2014).Google Scholar
Fraser, (Captain) and Forlong, (Captain). 1862–63. Proposed route across the Isthmus of Kraw. Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society of London 7(2), 58–61.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ingram, James C. 1971. Economic Change in Thailand, 1850–1970. California: Stanford University Press.Google Scholar
Kiernan, V G. 1956. Britain, Siam, and Malaya: 1875–1885. The Journal of Modern History 28(1), 1–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kiernan, V G. 1956. The Kra Canal projects of 1882–5: Anglo-French rivalry in Siam and Malaya. History 41(141–143), 137–157.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kong, Bo. 2010. The geopolitics of the Myanmar-China oil and gas pipelines. In National Bureau of Asian Research, Special Report 23. Pipeline Politics in Asia: The Intersection of Demand, Energy Markets, and Supply Routes, pp.55–66. Seattle: The National Bureau of Asian Research.Google Scholar
Kra Canal Special Economic Zone. Site operated by, Committee for the study of Kra Canal Project. Available at: http://www.kracanal-sez.com/index.html (accessed on 12 Dec. 2013 and 23 Jan. 2015).Google Scholar
Liss, Carolin. 2010. Oceans of Crime Maritime Piracy and Transnational Security in Southeast Asia and Bangladesh. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Loftus, A. J. 1883. Notes on a Journey Across the Isthmus of Kra, made with the French Government Survey Expedition, January – April 1883. Singapore: Straits Times Press.Google Scholar
Mohd. Rusli, Mohd Hazmi Bin. 2012. Protecting vital sea lines of communication: A study of the proposed designation of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore as a particularly sensitive sea area. Ocean & Coastal Management 57, 79–94.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moles, Ben. 2013. The Kra Canal: A dream one step closer to reality. International Security Discipulus. 12 July. Available at: https://internationalsecuritydiscipulus.wordpress.com/2013/07/12/the-kra-canal-a-dream-one-step-closer-to-reality/ (accessed on 1 Sept. 2015).Google Scholar
Observer. 1962. 4 February.Google Scholar
Pehrson, J. Christopher. 2006. String of Pearls: Meeting the Challenge of China's Rising Power across the Asian Littoral. Carlisle, PA: Strategic Studies Institute.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Raffles, Sophia. 1991[1830]. Memoir of the life and public services of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles. Oxford in Asia hardback reprints. Singapore and New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Rajaretnam, M. 1978. Thailand's Kra Canal some issues, Research Notes and Discussion Paper no. 8. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.Google Scholar
Richardson, Michael. 2008. The sea lane and energy security lifeline between the Persian Gulf and Asia. In Forbes, Andrew (ed.), Asian Energy Security: Regional Cooperation in the Malacca Strait, pp. 115–122. Canberra: Sea Power Centre –Australia.Google Scholar
Rimmer, Peter. 2003. Commercial shipping patterns in the Asian-Pacific Region, 1990–2000: The rise and rise of China. In Forbes, Andrew (ed.), Asian Energy Security: Regional Cooperation in the Malacca Strait, pp. 35–52. Canberra: Sea Power Centre –Australia.Google Scholar
Ronan, J William. 1936. The Kra Canal: A Suez for Japan? Pacific Affairs 9(3), 406–415.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
ShippingFacts: Information about the international shipping industry . 2013. Site operated by, International Chamber of Shipping. http://www.ics-shipping.org/shipping-facts/key-facts. (accessed on 15 Nov 2014 and 23 Jan 2015).Google Scholar
Singapore Free Press. 1857, 28 May; 1962, 8 January.Google Scholar
SinoShip News. 2015. China linked to Thai canal plans, 2 February. Available at http://splash247.com/China-linked-to-Thai-canal-plans/ (accessed on 1 Sept. 2015)Google Scholar
South China Morning Post. 2003, 5 August.Google Scholar
Straits Observer. 1876, 12 May.Google Scholar
Straits Times. 1962, 13 February; 2000, 9 March; 2004, 17 January, 29 April.Google Scholar
Sunday Mail. 1962, 12 February.Google Scholar
Sydney Morning Herald. 2005, March.Google Scholar
Tarling, Nicholas. 1962. Anglo-Dutch Rivalry in the Malay world, 1780–1824. Brisbane: University of Queensland Press.Google Scholar
Tarling, Nicholas. 1975. Imperial Britain In Southeast Asia. Kuala Lumpur and New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Thapa, R., M., Kusanagi, A., Kitazumi, and Y., Murayama 2007. Sea navigation, challenges and potentials in South East Asia: an assessment of suitable sites for a shipping canal in the South Thai Isthmus. GeoJournal 70(2–3), 161–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
The Australian. 2004, 19 July.Google Scholar
The Guardian (London). 1972, 12 July; 2008, 21 November.Google Scholar
The Korean Herald. 2004, 19 June.Google Scholar
The Nation. 2002, 22 February.Google Scholar
Wurtzburg, Charles Edward and Clifford, Witting. 1990 [1954]. Raffles of the Eastern Isles: (by) C.E.Wurtzburg. Singapore: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar