The Maniq people, from the Negrito ethnic group which immigrated from the northern states of Malaysia, inhabit the Banthat Mountains in tambon Nam Phut of La-ngu District.

It would mean that vessels would not have to sail through the Malacca Straits, notorious for pirate attacks, to reach deep seaports at Laem Chabang or Bangkok.

Prayut said the port would be Thailand's gateway to the Andaman Sea, linking the country with Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

At that time the project's owner, the Marine Department, was ordered to conduct an environmental and health impact assessment (EHIA), budgeted at 118 million baht.

[6] In July 2018 the Ministry of Transport "shelved" the 9.7 billion baht project "...to avoid fuelling conflicts between residents and state officials,..."[11] The port's construction would have required the expropriation of about 7,400 rai of land close to Ko Petra Marine National Park.

A government source said, "...it is about time to shelve the project because we cannot proceed with conducting an environmental impact assessment and public hearings as local villagers usually refuse to participate,..."[11] The suspension of the project immediately raised suspicions that the move was a ploy by the government to revive its popularity ahead of the 2019 elections after a series of public relations set-backs.

A Bangkok Post editorial explained that, "...in Thailand, 'being shelved' is a synonym for buying time—most controversial projects re-emerge after public attention fades.