1. Songkhla Penang-Medan Economic Corridor
The first corridor includes Songkhla, Penang and Medan, which are already established international gateways with well-equipped seaports that can improve connectivity by sea—important for bulk shipments of goods—between Southern Thailand and Northern Malaysia and Sumatera, as well as provide onward shipping services to East Asia and Europe. While the Medan-Penang corridor is one of the most developed subregional corridors like
Batam-Singapore, there is a need to upgrade the corridor by way of competitive Ro-ro ferry services, efficient inter-modal connection, improved access to Belawan Port and relocation of the congested Polonia Airport. Phatthalung Province is the rice-growing plain in southern Thailand. The area has potential for cattle-raising in the form of contract farming and for supplying the IMT–GT subregion with meat and dairy products. Phatthalung is also a well-known site for eco-tourism, with a large freshwater lake that is suitable for bird-watching and other leisure activities. Nakhorn Sri Thammarat also has vast potential for developing economic linkages with the rest of the IMT–GT. It is home to Hua It Agricultural Wholesale Market, the largest wholesale market in Southern Thailand supplying agricultural products to Malaysia and Singapore. Moreover, it has tourist attractions such as the Pramahatat Temple, as well as ecotourism (waterfall and beach resorts) and handicraft centers.