Premier aims to boost trade at border zones
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is chairing a meeting today with the committees responsible for developing special economic zones along the country's borders to spur trade with neighbouring nations.
The meeting will follow up on measures and the privileges to be granted by the committees to investors to set up facilities in the zones.
The committee responsible for such privileges, which is headed by the Finance Ministry, will offer the same or better conditions than those offered by the Board of Investment.
The committee for the one-stop labour service centre will offer temporary border passes to migrant workers with jobs in the zone, for greater convenience, while the committee responsible for infrastructure development will report on the progress of infrastructure for both electricity and water supply to the public.
The National Economic and Social Development Board will present its proposal for a special administrative zone in Tak’s Mae Sot district, which will be forwarded soon to the Cabinet for approval.
Deputy Commerce Minister ApiradeeTantraporn said last week that the ministry would update the Cabinet’s meeting tomorrow on its preparations to host a border trade expo in Mae Sot on January 29, which will include business matching for Thai and Myanmar investors.
The Commerce Ministry targets Mae Sot-Myawaddy as a model for the development of border trade with a two-year goal to triple trade with Myanmar from the current annual value of US$8 billion (Bt261 billion).
The ministry has negotiated with the deputy commerce minister of Myanmar for cooperation to support border trade, especially in Mae Sot, which is the area with huge potential and significance in the future.
"Myanmar, however, has requested Thailand to provide information regarding regulations of the World Trade Organisation. Myanmar is just a new WTO member and is not yet knowledgeable about its regulations, and Thailand is willing to provide them such assistance," Apiradee said.
The ministry’s strategy to boost overall border trade to Bt1.5 trillion this year comprises honing the country’s trade competitiveness, developing human skills geared towards border activities, granting investment incentives in neighbouring countries and solving problems to benefit from collaboration in the subregion.
