The Thai government is exploring the possibility of developing a Disneyland theme park in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) as a flagship project to boost tourism and support national transportation infrastructure development.
The proposal is expected to become a major attraction capable of increasing high-speed rail passenger numbers while supporting the expansion of U-Tapao Airport and the surrounding aviation city area.
Deputy Prime Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, who also serves as Minister of Transport and Chairman of the EEC Policy Committee, stated that the project is designed to generate a steady flow of tourist visits throughout the year.
“Southeast Asia currently has no Disneyland, so Thailand can become the first in the region,” he said, as quoted by the Bangkok Post.
The plan remains at an early stage and has yet to result in any formal agreement. However, the government has confirmed that interest from domestic investors has emerged, although specific details cannot yet be disclosed.
A Magnet for Year-Round Visitors
The development of a global-scale theme park is designed to align with the high-speed rail project linking Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi, and U-Tapao airports.
The government believes that the presence of a destination capable of attracting large daily visitor numbers is crucial to ensuring the long-term viability of the transportation project.
In addition to the theme park, the area is planned to include an 80,000-seat football stadium, a 30,000-capacity indoor arena, and an Olympic-standard swimming pool.
These facilities are expected to host international sporting events, large-scale concerts, and global conferences.
Nevertheless, Phiphat emphasized that sports facilities alone are insufficient to attract daily visitors. For this reason, an internationally scaled theme park is positioned as the core element supporting the overall development of the area.
Theme Park as Core Anchor
In the initial assessment, the government has outlined three possible theme park sizes, ranging from approximately 960 rai for a small-scale development to 3,000 rai for a large-scale project. When combined with supporting facilities, the total development area is estimated to reach around 5,000 rai.
The locations under consideration span several provinces within the EEC region, namely Chonburi, Rayong, Chachoengsao, and Chanthaburi. The government has also emphasized that the project will not involve casinos in any form, in line with Disney’s internal policy prohibiting gambling facilities within or around its theme parks.
“We will first invite Disney to invest directly, but if it does not do so, a licence could be purchased to operate the project instead,” Phiphat said.
A 100-Billion-Baht Bet
As reported by The Thaiger, an analysis by financial publication Longtunman estimates that the investment value of the “Disneyland Thailand” project could reach approximately 100 billion baht.
The proposed scheme refers to a licensing-based model similar to Tokyo Disneyland, which is owned and operated by Oriental Land Company rather than directly by The Walt Disney Company.
Under this structure, Thai investors would be responsible for land acquisition, construction, and operations, while Disney would act as the licensor and royalty recipient. This approach is seen as a way to introduce a global brand while maintaining more controlled financial risk for the brand owner.
If realized, the project is expected to attract high-spending tourists, extend average length of stay, and broaden Thailand’s tourism base, which has traditionally relied on natural and cultural attractions.
Although still exploratory, the proposal reflects a new direction in Thailand’s tourism strategy, aimed at developing global-scale entertainment assets within the Asian region.
