Ministry drafting EEC guidelines
The Industry Ministry is drafting a new law to create and govern the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) project, which it hopes will form a new engine to drive economic growth, says Siriruj Chulakaratana, director-general of the Office of Industrial Economics.
The EEC spans the three eastern provinces of Chon Buri, Rayong and Chachoengsao, which will be designated for development as a high-tech industry cluster, with an eye towards becoming Asean's leading economic zone for industrial, infrastructure and urban development.
"We will be meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak to update him on development of the EEC's industrial estate, including the plan to upgrade U-tapao airport to an international-grade level to serve rising logistics demand in the region," he said.
Mr Siriruj said it would take months to draft the law and apply it in acquiring land and building facilities before the EEC industrial estate can start operating in 2017.
The cabinet approved in principle a minimum of 300 billion baht in state funds, with the first phase focusing on Map Ta Phut, Rayong and Laem Chabang in Chon Buri.
The EEC project is meant to accommodate the 10 targeted industries being promoted as clusters by the government.
Approved by the cabinet last November, the 10 industries are next-generation cars; smart electronics; affluent, medical and wellness tourism; agriculture and biotechnology; food; robotics for industry; logistics and aviation; biofuels and biochemicals; digital; and medical services.
The EEC is also set to become an Asean water transport hub, linking the Dawei deep-sea port in Myanmar with Sihanoukville in Cambodia and Vung Tau port in Vietnam.
The plan calls for the government to expand other infrastructure projects, such as the Chuk Samet deep-sea port in Chon Buri, U-tapao airport in Rayong, and the Map Ta Phut deep-sea port, as well as several land transport networks.
The Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand has prepared 30,000 rai of land to accommodate 29 industrial estates in the eastern region, of which 15,000 rai has been developed.