Transport plan set for next EEC policy 

Kanit Sangsubhan, secretary-general of the EEC Office, said a public transport system connecting U-tapao International Airport with the high-speed-rail system planned for the area would be proposed, as there are currently no public buses or other systems that could serve this function.
It is necessary to accelerate the transport network as there will be a large number of Thais and foreigners, including business operators flowing into the EEC once the project is complete, he said.
He said the areas surrounding the three main ports in the EEC would also be proposed as special zones for investment promotional privileges at next month’s meeting of the development policy committee. The three ports are Laem Chabang, Map Ta Phut and Sattahip.
The progress on other major projects will also be followed up on at the meeting. One of them is the high-speed railway that is to connect Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang and U-tapao airports. 
The tourism-development plan for the EEC will be presented by the tourism and sports minister. Kalin Sarasin, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, is currently brainstorming with the private sector and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports on upgrading Pattaya and Rayong as leading cities for tourism.
Kanit said that by the end of this year, 30 leading international companies were targeted to submit their investment proposals for the EEC. About 10 have already done so, including European aircraft manufacturer Airbus, Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, and Japanese robot maker Hirata Corporation.
Recently, US aircraft maker Boeing has been in talks on investing in aircraft-parts plants and a training centre.
Kanit said his office’s main interest in these 30 global companies was technology transfer. “This could move Thai parts makers up to the supply chains of high-tech industries.” 
He also plans to join the Board of Investment (BOI) and the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand on a visit to China in an effort to attract high-tech industries to the EEC. 
Alibaba and several other big firms are expected to ask for promotional privileges from the BOI, which plans to launch regulations in this regard under the Enhance the Competitiveness of Targeted Industries Act BE 2560.
Meanwhile, draft legislation for an EEC bill is being in considered by the Council of State before being forwarded to the Cabinet and, then, the National Legislative Assembly. It is expected to become law in October.