CHIANG RAI, Nov 22 — Interior Minister Gen Anupong Paochinda said Saturday that his ministry is accelerating consideration of a new city planning law for five special economic zones in Thailand’s border areas and it would take about a year for the new law to complete.
He told participants attending the 32nd seminar of chambers of commerce from nationwide, held in the northernmost province of Chiang Rai, that Thailand has an advantage of strategic location in the region and should use this benefit in developing logistics for land, sea and air transportation.
But problems exist for the development of basic infrastructures, especially city planning, as it does not specify clearly on areas of development in the country.
However, the Interior Ministry is speeding up approving city planning in the five special economic zones and it is expected to complete in about a year to cater to the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), due to be implemented by end-2015, said Gen Anupong, adding that he is optimistic that the government-sponsored project would help boost the economy along the border.
The five special economic zones are Tak’s Mae Sot district bordering Myanmar, Sa Kaeo’s Aranyaprathet district and Trat’s Khlong Yai district, both bordering Cambodia, as well as in Mukdahan province bordering Laos and Songkhla’s Sa Dao district bordering Malaysia.
Gen Anupong also told participants at the seminar that his ministry is prepared to help solve problems for private businesses to enable them to become more competitive as the AEC is approaching.
He said the government has mapped out plans to construct several transportation routes which would connect ASEAN member nations and that he is ready to listen to the opinions from the private sector.
