Thailand’s Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry, and Banking (JSCCIB) has proposed that Ayutthaya be developed into a new logistics hub to complement the region’s growing investment, particularly with the advancement of the Thai-Sino high-speed rail system.
The committee envisions leveraging Ayutthaya’s existing transportation network, including its rail, road, and river connections and suggests establishing a dry port to enhance the province’s economic value.
Ayutthaya, recognized for its historic sites as a Unesco World Heritage city, could face transformative development with the high-speed rail link that extends from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima. The rail, budgeted at 179 billion baht, skirts the ancient city and raises concerns over the impact on its World Heritage status. The business community has voiced a preference for relocating the high-speed train station to Ban Ma sub-district, which they argue is suitably distanced from the historic sites and has adequate space for a logistics and distribution center.
The province, which hosts five major industrial estates specializing in various sectors including automotive, electronics, and food processing, contributes significantly to the regional economy, with industries representing 70% of Ayutthaya’s GDP—the workforce in these sectors numbers 330,000.
The lure of Ayutthaya as an investment destination is substantiated by interest from Chinese investors, especially in the food processing sector, with reports of substantial land acquisitions for business ventures. (NNT)
