The Industry Ministry has signed a strategic cooperation framework with the UN Industry Development Organization (Unido) to establish the Investment and Technology Promotion Office (ITPO) and Industrial Intelligence Unit supporting the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).
As of September 2017, EEC projects approved for Board of Investment privileges had a combined worth of 140 billion baht, of which 68 billion worth are in the S-curve target sectors.
"This is the first time Unido made a new partnership model for a cooperative framework, and Thailand was chosen as the first country to implement it," Industry Minister Uttama Savanayana said in an interview after the signing ceremony of the framework in Vienna yesterday.
The four-year collaboration (2018-2021) will focus on technical activities and an initiative to establish the ITPO, which is the first in Asean. ITPO branches were developed in Japan, China and South Korea.
"ITPO will help promote EEC investment by serving as a linkage between Thai businesses and Unido's membership countries," said Mr Uttama.
He said a Unido office in Thailand will expand its role in Asia-Pacific.
"Thailand will assist Unido in promoting technical cooperation among developing countries, especially Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam," said Mr Uttama.
Another collaborative initiative is the big data platform, which should help improve industrial projections. By using analytic tools and training programmes, the big data platform will create an industrial big data pool and management system. It will also help establish the Industrial Intelligence Unit.
"The big data platform will allow the integration of data from small and medium-sized enterprises [SMEs] with partners in the region, which can lead to business-matching. Policymakers can also use the data analysis for SME promotion," he said.
A special taskforce to work on these issues is slated to be formed within one month, said Mr Uttama.
He said the collaboration aims to support knowledge and experts for Thailand's planned Industry 4.0 scheme, covering global industrial trends and sustainable industrial development in Asia, including eco-industrial towns, circular economies as well as innovation.
The cooperation will cover new core technologies and the government's 10 target industries as well as the development of smart electronics, next-generation automotive and the robotic sector.
Mr Uttama said the EEC Act is expected to be passed by the National Legislative Assembly in January. Following passage, the government will issue terms of reference for big projects under the EEC scheme, including improvements of land routes connecting Laem Chabang port and U-tapao airport, a Map Ta Phut port expansion and development of highways in the three EEC provinces, the third phase of Laem Chabang port, the aircraft repair and maintenance hub at U-tapao, and the Bangkok-Rayong high-speed railway network.
The government has allocated 900 million baht for EEC Office operations and hiring experts. The administration also plans to consider ways to encourage more S-curve sector investment, including logistics and distribution.
Mr Uttama said after one year, the EEC initiative has drawn interest from over 30 firms in Japan, China, Singapore and the US, among others.