Authorities in Thailand are considering the Bangkok Port as a possible location for an integrated resort, given its size, location, and riverfront access, but the necessary redevelopment of the site means that it’s unlikely to house the nation’s first casino, says expert Daniel Cheng.

The Khlong Toei (spelling varies) Port has long been on the agenda for redevelopment, and a 2019 proposal for repurposing 376 hectares by the Port Authority of Thailand (who manages the infrastructure) sparked enthusiasm, particularly given the progress of the Entertainment Complex Business Act through the legislature.
According to reports, an initial 128-hectare initial development area was laid out by a government land subcommittee last December, including a zone for commerce, tourism, retail and hotels.

But Thailand’s IR bill is still under evaluation, even though some experts are hoping for a casino to open in the nation as early as 2029. And the massive scale of the port area to be redeveloped brings up significant questions about how, where and when a potential integrated resort could fit into the government’s plans.
“The Klong Toey site will bring the oft-overlooked subject of urban master planning to the fore. Integrated resorts are real estate behemoths that cannot be just parachuted into a location without due zonal planning. This is even more so if the site is situated in densely built-up areas. It is essential to ensure compatibility with existing infrastructure, prevent overcrowding, and mitigate potential negative effects like increased traffic or environmental strain,” points out Cheng.
The industry expert is no stranger to massive development projects, such as that which reshaped Singapore’s coastline (and tourism image), centered around Marina Bay Sands. For more check out Cheng’s book: “How I Built an Integrated Resort”.
For Bangkok to see the success that Singapore did in reshaping Marina Bay, long-term planning is key.
“Even if they begin the planning now, a Klong Toey redevelopment is easily a 15-year or more project where the resort component can probably only commence construction at the earliest in the early 2030s and open after 2035. Unless of course the government decides to take shortcuts, which would be disastrous,” indicates Cheng.
Infrastructure before entertainment
Given all of the planning necessary to shape the port into its stated purposes – a commercial zone (featuring logistics, MICE, retail, offices and more), a business zone (including warehouses, container terminals, etc), and a ‘Modern City’ (including hospitality and tourism amenities) – Cheng opines that it’s best to update the port’s master plan to include the entertainment complex aspect, “which would become its anchor development”.

But, aside from the complexity of the site, there is also the matter of a squatter community totaling over 13,000 “that needs to be relocated/rehoused”.
Cheng made particular note of this in an article in mid-2024, among other concerns around the port’s redevelopment.
So how should the government prioritize the development?
“The entertainment complex should only be in the latter phases because its successful integration depends on the successful resolution of other pressing urban challenges and particularly improving infrastructure to accommodate the large number of daily visitors to the resort.”
For context, Marina Bay Sands’ casino alone gets an average of 25,000 visitors each day and the complex as a whole welcomes over 1 million guests per year.
Bangkok last year was hailed by many international bodies as the top tourism city in the world, welcoming over 32 million visitors. By comparison, Macau welcomed nearly 35 million tourists in 2024. Both cities suffer from gridlock problems, particularly during key holiday periods, and require infrastructure improvements to be able to meet their ever-increasing tourism goals.
Bangkok could tender first but unlikely to open first casino
Five potential large-scale IRs are being proposed under the current framework under discussion: one each in Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Phuket and two in Bangkok.
In mid-2024, Cheng already expressed doubts that Bangkok would be able to be the first location to house a casino – citing rumors that the Rayong Province near Pattaya could beat it to the punch.
But that doesn’t mean that authorities should hold off on going ahead with a tender for an entertainment complex in Bangkok, even if the port is one of the chosen locations.
“It’s still acceptable to tender the license first once the new master plan (for the port) is approved, but the project schedule should be set appropriately for the future. As a point of the reference, Singapore’s Marina Bay downtown precinct spanned a few decades from ideation to reality.”
The ease of access to MBS is testament towards the strong infrastructure investment and comprehensive city planning that allow its ongoing success.
And while the Bangkok Port does benefit from its relative proximity to Suvarnabhumi Airport, current highway and transportation links are unlikely to be able to keep up with the increase in traffic that must go hand-in-hand with a large-scale IR.
Plus, as evidenced by pushback against the new IR bill by segments of the population, ensuring that an entertainment complex actually benefits the surrounding region, and its residents, will be essential to its success.
“Lack of careful planning could disrupt the local community and fail to integrate harmoniously with the surrounding environment,”warns Cheng.
Land is in woefully short supply in Bangkok, so finding a site that would be more advantageous than the port is tricky. All hopes are that a long-term approach is taken to make sure that the government, the public, and integrated resort operators all stand to benefit.