Three industrial estates planned in border provinces
The Industry Ministry plans to establish four new industrial estates, three of them in border provinces, to promote Thailand as an Asean investment hub.
Verapong Chaiperm, deputy governor of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand, said the ministry was conducting feasibility studies on the establishment of estates in Pu Nam Ron, Kanchanaburi, and Mae Sot, Tak, near the Burmese border; in Chiang Khong, Chiang Rai, near the Laotian border; and in Khon Kaen province.
These would be special economic zones (SEZs) aimed at supporting integration of the region under the Asean Economic Community by 2015, paving the way for a single market with zero import tariffs and easier cross-border investment.
They would also be environmental friendly, something that has become a major concern of investors worldwide, supporting and supported by “eco-towns”.
The Pu Nam Ron industrial estate is planned to cover 500-1,000 rai (80-160 hectares). The government has allocated a budget of Bt12.6 million for the feasibility study for establishing this estate and the corresponding eco-town. The study is scheduled to be complete by September. The project is planned to be finalised by 2014 and construction complete by 2016.
The Pu Nam Ron SEZ is aimed at linking with the Dawei port mega-project in Burma, which is of strategic interest to Thailand under the Southern Seaboard development scheme. This estate will be a logistical link in support of the expansion of heavy industries and trading in Thailand. In addition, a budget of Bt6.67 million has been set for the feasibility study for the Chiang Khong industrial estate, which would cover 2,000 rai. The project would support the growth of the industrial sector as well as serving as a logistical link among Thailand, Laos and China.
Industries that would potentially invest here are processed agricultural goods, pharmaceuticals, rubber and electronics. The Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand is seeking a developer for the project.
The Mae Sot project would promote border trade, as well as be an industrial hub for soft industries such as processed food.
Last, the Khon Kaen industrial estate would be the only SEZ not located in a border province. Khon Kaen University is conducting a feasibility study on setting this up as a green industrial estate.
Payungsak Chartsuthipol, chairman to the Federation of the Thai Industries, has urged the government to set up new industrial estates, as standalone factories have created difficulties in terms of environmental management.
He said setting up new estates along the borders would not only promote cross-border trade, it would help solve Thailand’s labour shortage.
Somchet Thinaphong, chairman of the executive board of the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency, said the government had to focus closely on the rapid development of Burma, particularly the Dawei mega-project. Since Thailand has no authority to set up industrial estates overseas, the strategy to develop them in border provinces would support the growth of industries in the Kingdom and promote it as a regional manufacturing base.
