"Kra Canal under threat of disruption": China may lose a new shipping artery

Beijing's plans to create an alternative shipping artery were in jeopardy. If the Kra canal is not built, then the Chinese fleet will be deprived of the opportunity to bypass the Strait of Malacca. As a result, danger looms over the whole "string of pearls" strategy.

Malacca cork

The Indian edition of The Economic Times is pleased to note the difficulties faced by the Kra Canal project. If implemented, it would allow China to transfer its naval forces directly to the Bay of Bengal, bypassing the Strait of Malacca.

The Kra Canal, also called the Thai Canal, was supposed to pass through the territory of southern Thailand. As announced by the project initiators, if built, the distance required for ships to enter the Indian Ocean would be reduced by 1100 km.

China fears that its commercial tankers and naval vessels could be blocked by the United States or countries in the region in the Strait of Malacca

- writes The Economic Times.

However, the Thai government has proposed an alternative project. It provides for the construction of two deep-water ports on both sides of the country's southern coast. They are supposed to be connected by rail and road. As a result, the transit time for goods currently being transported through the Strait of Malacca will be reduced by two days.

The largest fleet in the world

According to a recently released Pentagon report, the Chinese fleet has become the largest in the world. With a total of 350 pennants (including more than 130 "main surface warships"), the PRC has already overtaken even the United States, which has 293 pennants.

At the same time, as noted in India, the US Navy is technologically superior to the Chinese fleet, in particular, due to the fact that it has 11 aircraft carriers with a displacement of 100 thousand tons, each of which is able to carry 80-90 fighters. However, China is building two more aircraft carriers and intends to bring their total number to ten.

India has a huge advantage at the moment because of the logistics nightmare China faces, and can use the Malacca Dilemma to its advantage if needed.

- writes The Economic Times.

However, in general, the Indian fleet is significantly inferior to the Chinese, as it has only 10 destroyers, 14 frigates, 11 corvettes, 15 diesel-electric and two nuclear submarines. Also, as explained in the country's government, China is actively looking for bypass routes that will allow it to avoid the "Malacca congestion", including through the construction of the Kree Canal.

Comments

[Lara Croft]

China is closing the sea route to Africa and the BV .... and the PLA WB in Djibouti and the naval base under construction in Pakistan are doomed to be isolated by the Empireists ...

[cat Rusich]

In the textbook "Economic Geography of Foreign Countries" of the USSR in 1963 I read about the project of a canal across the Isthmus of Kra ... Back in 1677 King Narai of Siam "planned" a canal, in 1793 the idea of ​​a canal rose again, in 1863 ... in 1897 Britain pushed Siam to abandon channel ... And here again "America is open ... "PRC can dig a channel ... but will the usa allow ? - China is already "hacked to death" with Ukraine about the "kidalov" about Motor Sich ... Will China be able to "fight on two fronts"?

[Guru]

Will China be able to "fight on two fronts"?

The second front is Ukraine ?? Well ridiculed.

[Ryusei]

For China to cover itself with a copper basin for the eyes, the United States is enough.

[Lara Croft]

Quote: Ryusey

For China to cover itself with a copper basin for the eyes, the United States is enough.

To cover any country with a copper basin

the USA is enough for the eyes

an exception is the mysterious northern country, which itself can cover your beloved USA with a copper basin ...

[Shurik70]

China now will cover whoever you want ...

[Lara Croft]

Quote: Shurik70

China now will cover whoever you want ...

What?

[Shurik70]

Quote: Lara Croft

What?

Economy, army and nuclear missiles

[Lara Croft]

Quote: Shurik70

Quote: Lara Croft

What?

Economy

Whom? EU, USA, RK, Japan, other developed countries of the Asia-Pacific region?

the army

What is its component?
The ground forces are essentially motorized infantry, divide the total number of armored vehicles by the number of formations and you will understand what is the share of BMP / armored personnel carriers in the infantry and mechanized units of the PLA, the tank park is huge, but 1/3 of it is comparable to the Russian T-72 B3 tanks, and none of them are comparable to modern American and Korean tanks ...
The share of attack helicopters in the AA is minimal, the military air defense and air defense of the PLA Air Force is not able to protect groups of forces, the industrial areas of the PRC from a missile strike from the United States, the bulk of the country's industry and urban agglomerations and the PLA are located on the coast of the PRC, the construction of the PLA Navy is only at the beginning development .....
The PLA Air Force also includes a large number of obsolete aviation equipment, in percentage terms in terms of the level of equipment with modern aviation equipment, the PLA Air Force is inferior to the Russian Aerospace Forces, the US Air Force and the Republic of Kazakhstan ...
Strategic Nuclear Forces - strategic planes of the PLA are ancient Soviet-designed Tu-16s that are not capable of performing assigned tasks in relation to the United States and the Russian Federation, the nuclear submarine fleet is only at the beginning of development ...

nuclear missiles

...... in service with the 2nd artillery corps consists of up to 90 intercontinental ballistic missiles, of which 66 are land-based and 24 are sea-based (SLBM JL-2) ....
Neither the USA nor the Russian Federation can be covered with all this ...

[zwlad]

Give them 5 more years and you won't recognize the PLA.

[Lara Croft]

Quote: zwlad

Give them 5 more years and you won't recognize the PLA.

As children, who will give the PRC 5 years, but about not knowing the United States, it can ...

[Interlocutor]

For China to cover itself with a copper basin for the eyes, the United States is enough.

This is the usual bravado. This is far from the case. The US does nothing without a "guaranteed reserve of strength." You deprive them of this "reserve" and they will confine themselves to chatter.

[Quadro]

India has a huge advantage at the moment because of the logistics nightmare

It is very humorous to hear such words from the Indians. Let them first get rid of their zoo in technology, this is where the nightmare of logistics is, and the Chinese will somehow dig a channel.

[Vladimir Mashkov]

Quad, 4.28
I totally agree with you! The Chinese are very persistent and good at counting. Therefore, the canal across the Kra Isthmus, which is VERY beneficial to the Chinese, MUST be built sooner or later! And the Chinese will do EVERYTHING in order, if not to own it, then at least to confidently control it. Although, of course, there will be significant opposition to this from many (primarily the United States and India).

[Revolver]

In this channel, China is looking for its benefits and reinforcement, but does Thailand need it? For commerce, ports and railways are practically the same, but will cost less. Of course, it is not suitable for naval operations, so break off the Chinese, and if the ruins have already rolled out, then buy a rolling machine.

[Piramidon]

Quote: Nagan

does Thailand need it?

It will be possible to collect fees for the passage through the canal. The Panama Pass is charged $ 2.9 per tonne of displacement. The Suez Canal brings Egypt about $ 5 billion a year

[bayard]

If the Chinese dig the canal, it will have to be defended, a naval base should be built at both ends, and this is already a threat to Thailand's sovereignty. Well, of course - US pressure as the determining force in Thailand's tenacity.
And to make money on transshipment and transportation of goods through its territory and the operation of two (!) Large ports, will give Thailand, as it were, not a lot of revenue per year.
And a lot more new jobs.
And China is a very powerful hairpin.
Obama has already isolated Russia, now they will isolate China ... it would be enough tape.

[Revolver]

Quote: Piramidon

It will be possible to collect fees for the passage through the canal.

For transshipment and transportation between ports, they will be able to charge no less, but, as it were, no more. Again, 2 new modern ports and a connection to the railway system of Thailand will make it more attractive for investments, including compared to China. And no Chinese naval bases.

[Piramidon]

Quote: Nagan

For transshipment and transportation between ports, they will be able to charge no less, but, as it were, no more.

And how long will the transshipment-transportation take, and even the payment for it? Who needs this problem if it is possible to pass through the Malacca Strait as quickly as possible.

[Revolver]

Quote: Piramidon

And how long will the transshipment-transportation take, and even the payment for it? Who needs this problem if it is possible to pass through the Malacca Strait as quickly as possible.

The article says - 2 days faster. Do not forget that pirates are also playing pranks in the strait. And if the showdown between India and China heats up still, then mine banks may appear.

[antivirus]

it is not necessary for Singapore et al., typical commercial contradictions

[Asad]

Do not understand what the problem is? The Thais sent the PRC?

[Mountain shooter]

China is trying to start building this canal as a private project. But this does not deceive anyone. This is a strategic project, which is obviously interested in China. True, it is not very clear why the "trap" of the Strait of Malacca is more dangerous than a fleet squeezing through a 100 km channel 400 m wide? This is from a military point of view. And on what basis will the United States suddenly be able to block the strait? India will be able to do this as a result of the war with China over the disputed territories in the Himalayas. Well, simply because it is on "this" side of the strait, and China cannot do anything about it. There are no forces on the "other" side, there are no bases where these forces could be accumulated ...
Think about it - why did the SMP become so interesting? That is why China is so interested in our Arctic! Well, he doesn't want isolation. That is why the USA is striving for OUR Arctic. They do not control anything in it (SMP), and for a hegemon it is impossible to survive ...

[voyaka uh]

"True, it is not very clear why the" trap "of the Strait of Malacca is more dangerous than a fleet squeezing through a 100 km channel 400 m wide?" ///
----
Mallack Strait is international, and the new strait will be owned by Thailand. Attacking ships there, the aggressor seems to be attacking the state of Thailand.

[Mountain shooter]

Quote: voyaka uh

Mallack Strait is international, and the new strait will be owned by Thailand. Attacking ships there, the aggressor seems to be attacking the state of Thailand.

Is it possible to attack ships in the international strait? Something new. In international maritime law.

[voyaka uh]

During a war, you can attack enemy warships and
even necessary.
I will try to explain the difference:
1) If a war breaks out between China and America, and Chinese ships
attacked in Mallack Strait, it is the business of these two
countries.
2) If the Chinese ships are attacked in the planned Kra channel,
then the state of Thailand is automatically involved
into the war.

[Liam]

Thailand will declare war on the US?

[voyaka uh]

Something like that ... To make it clearer:
There is a difference 1) drown / capture a ship in the Red Sea
in front of the entrance to the Suez Canal (Egypt is neutral)
2) sink the ship in the Suez Canal. In this case
Egypt views the attack as a declaration of war.
Israel observed this very carefully, intercepting
ships with weapons and avoiding conflict with Egypt.

[Liam]

Visitors ... in a hypothetical conflict between two countries, the passage of a third country of the armed forces (warship) through its territory is a hostile action. Therefore, if Thailand is initially neutral, then a Chinese warship cannot pass through its territory. declares war on the United States and therefore the United States has the right to destroy the channel along with the ships.

[voyaka uh]

Formally so. But everything is more complicated: the Vietnam War.
The Americans did not bomb the Soviet ships unloading
weapons in Hanoi. The Vietnamese, in return, did not attack the Soviet
planes by American aircraft carriers off the coast of Vietnam.
There are many such examples. It seems to be "smash everything to smithereens!"
But no ...

[Liam]

Quote: voyaka uh

war in Vietnam.

Could you name the date of the declaration of war between the United States and North Vietnam?

And what about this hypothetical canal. This canal was never built and will never be built for the most banal economic reason. The time of passage of the canal will be no less than that day / one and a half sailing through the strait, and the toll will be much higher than the hypothetical fuel economy "bypassing" ... How much does the channel save there - 1000 km?

[voyaka uh]

Your economic calculations are inconclusive.
Mallack Strait - the most congested shipping
strait in the world. It is 1000 km long. There all year round
mash from ships including
supertankers and super-container ships.
Thai Canal (Kra) - will be only 100 km long.
And it will shorten the path from the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean by 1,5-2 thousand kilometers.
Technically, for China to dig such a channel is an easy warm-up, warming up the muscles.
Compared to the artificial islands they dug from the bottom
opposite Vietnam. Thailand to adjust its budget for channel transit.
China will receive a military trump card.

[Liam]

Quote: voyaka uh

Thai Canal (Kra) - will be only 100 km long.

The channel is not a strait. Inquire about the average waiting time and passage of Panamanian or Suez. You will be surprised. As well as the speed of their passage and, of course, the price. Such infrastructures are built when it comes to going around whole continents, and not to save 1000 km.

Quote: voyaka uh

Technically for China to dig such a channel is an easy warm-up

Nda.You don't really imagine what level this task is, what knowledge and skills it requires and what money.
Artificial islands are a children's sandbox in comparison. The same Dutch have already built dozens of them.

[voyaka uh]

"the level of such a task, what knowledge and skills it requires and what money" ////
----
You have little idea how construction machinery has changed since South Korea and China entered the construction market.
Excavators, dredgers, gigantic cranes. The Dutch never dreamed of that. All European projects are children's sandboxes compared to the Far East ones. Time and money have been reduced tenfold.

[Liam]

Quote: voyaka uh

Excavators, dredgers, gigantic cranes

Do you seriously think it's about excavators?

As far as I remember, the Chinese have already successfully dug one such canal in Nicaragua. Now they will take over Thailand)

[voyaka uh]

The matter is in the political decision of the Thai government.
Not for economic reasons or technical difficulties.

[antivirus]

but to threaten with a finger - there is no more terrible beast, for a colony to wave a finger is already a lot

[Cetron]

And when did this stop the US? Any part of the planet can become "vital to US security." Everyone will bomb !!!

[Doccor18]

China fears that its commercial tankers and naval vessels could be blocked by the United States or countries in the region in the Strait of Malacca

And what could prevent the United States from blocking this hypothetical channel in Thailand, considering that the Thais have been American allies since the Cold War .. New channels and ports will not secure Chinese trade, only a huge military fleet can do this.

[Private-K]

Quote: Doccor18

And what could prevent the United States from blocking this hypothetical channel in Thailand, considering that the Thais have been American allies since the Cold War .. New channels and ports will not secure Chinese trade, only a huge military fleet can do this.

1. The channel is in the jurisdiction of the country in which it was dug. Unlike straits under international jurisdiction. If the United States tries to block access to the channel, then this is a clear manifestation of disrespect for Thai sovereignty. However, in order to block it, you will have to displace the Chinese fleet, and this is, in the littorial zone, where China is nearby, and the amers' bases know where.
2. The presence of a "Chinese" channel in the territory of independent Thailand automatically pulls Thailand even more into China's geostrategic orbit. Incl. moving away from the USA. And in general: the United States is far away, but mighty China is near, very close.
3. But Thailand shouldn't be attracted to China either: the Chinese are not a gift either.
4. China already has a huge fleet and will be twice as large in 10 years: many more large-capacity 1-2-rank ships will be built.

[Doccor18]

If the United States tries to block access to the channel, then this is a clear manifestation of disrespect for Thai sovereignty ..

Thailand has long been an ally of the United States and regularly conducts joint naval exercises. Yes, and when "those who carry democracy" were stopped by disrespect for some kind of sovereignty.

... where China is near, and the American bases know where ...

Singapore is close at hand - an outpost of the Anglo-Saxons, with its powerful port and a network of airfields that clearly exceed the capabilities of its own air force. Malaysia is also in the camp of Democrats and, if anything, will provide everything that is required for the US Army ...
And even so, it is not a problem to block any shipping channel. It will, if they push it, improve Chinese logistics, but will not solve the global problem of a safe exit to the Indian Ocean.

[Private-K]

Quote: Doccor18

Thailand has long been a US ally

Thailand was US ally in the region. Earlier. And now he is buying Chinese military products with might and main. A US ally, now, rather ... Vietnam. This is how politics flips ...

Quote: Doccor18

Nearby Singapore is an outpost of the Anglo-Saxons,

Singapore was once a hub for the international Finintern, a non-national financial oligarchy. The British are there on the same rights as the rest.

Quote: Doccor18

with its powerful port and a network of airfields clearly exceeding the capabilities of its own air force.

Mmmm ... Did you think for a second that Singapore would oppose China?
That Britain will send its troops to fight against the Channel?
That Singapore will provide its sites for US aviation US Marins Corps?


Singapore is under equity management with the active participation of the Chinese "Komsomol" ("blue dragon within the Chinese Communist Party). In Singapore, 76% of the population is Chinese! Local Malays - 12%. Ethnic Chinese run everything, they and they alone.

Quote: Doccor18

Malaysia is also in the camp of democrats

If Malaysia farts under the PRC, it will run the spoiled air out of the way, and then bow and repent for a long time.
The Malaysian Pan-Ataman-Sultan has "no machine guns" (tm) - the Armed Forces are weak, poorly equipped, weakly capable of fighting. They will be taken out at a click. And they have no reserve military infrastructure to receive overseas friends.
And, yes, here is Malaysia the crypto colony of Britain. The task of this "state" is to sit quietly and pump the loot to Britainrather than "playing a part in the local orchestra."

Quote: Doccor18

And even so, it is not a problem to block any shipping channel

Yes. But here, for reliability, you need to bang a couple of YABCh. Will the Americans do this? Well, who knows, maybe they will.

[Ryusei]

Yes, yes, King Philip of Spain thought so too when he sent the Invincible Armada on its way.

[aszzz888]

The Indian Economic Times is pleased indicates the difficulties faced by the Kra Canal project

Of course! Happy to hiccups!

[Avior]

Channel options

Thailand suits any option, including land transportation. The latter is even more profitable, more jobs.
For the marine, there is a rather difficult relief and environmental problems. At one time, the Japanese offered to make it nuclear explosions, even, it is clear that they did not accept it, but the option was

[don-1500]

Quote: Lara Croft

Quote: Shurik70

China now will cover whoever you want ...

What?

Chinese

[Mark kalendarov]

I think the Chinese dragon will go to the end ... Until the final realization of their plans.
And the Chinese army ...
In the past tense, almost everyone beat the Chinese. From Mongols to Vietnamese.
But now ... Their future victories will be determined not so much by technical superiority as by the number of troops and equipment, ideological pumping and the growing importance of Chinese influence, including their diplomacy ...
All the best and take care of yourself!

[alien308]

We need more ammonal and hexogen.

[Pavel57]

The US sanctions against Japan have provoked a war once. Will it really be a second time, but now with China?

[Petr Vladimirovich]

Let us assume that the length of the canal is 100 km, the carrying capacity of a tanker is 300 tons, one tank car is 000 tons, and includes 50 tanks. What happens? 60 trains per 100 km. Fitted. The time for unloading and loading one tanker in two ports depends on the number of pumping dead ends and the capacity of pumping capacities. Plus, it is necessary to increase (possibly double) the number of tankers ... The question is, at what speed will the trains travel? )))

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