North, Isan eyed for growth

North, Isan eyed for growth

Cabinet warms to raft of economic projects

The cabinet approved in principle a host of development projects yesterday to drive economic growth and competitiveness in 10 northern and northeastern provinces, as it concluded its two-day mobile meeting in Phetchabun.

Spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said most of the proposals put forward by local state agencies, business operators and farmers' groups were in line with the government's overall development plan for the region.

Suggestions included projects in logistics and infrastructure, water resources development, agriculture and tourism for two clusters of provinces: the lower North and the upper Northeast.

The cabinet meeting started on Monday in Loei and headed to Phetchabun yesterday.

Lt Gen Sansern said the cabinet approved in principle a proposal seeking to incorporate the Luangprabang-Indochina-Mawlamyine Economic Corridor (LIMEC) as part of the Ayeyawady Chao Phraya Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (Acmecs).

Acmecs, consisting of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand, is a partnership framework designed to bolster economic growth and reduce income disparity in the region.

He said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been assigned to help work out the details.

According to Lt Gen Sansern, logistics development proposals were valued at 7.3 billion baht for the lower North and 13.6 billion baht for the upper Northeast.

Many road development projects including a 21km-road along the Mekong River were included in the Transport Ministry's budget spending plan, which is worth 9.9 billion baht for 2019, while others would be considered and prioritised for other fiscal years, he said.

On the aviation front, the cabinet gave a green light to the Udon Thani international airport development project to accommodate expected growth. It is due to serve up to 7.5 million passengers a year, over double its current capacity of 3.5 million.

An upgrade at Loei airport was also approved. The proposal includes the procurement of a security system and rescue equipment. The plan for Phitsanulok airport, meanwhile, focuses on business and marketing to prepare it for offering international aviation services.

For the farming sector, the Agriculture Ministry has been assigned to study a proposal to set up an innovation centre for commercial crops while the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry will promote organic farming, the government spokesman said.

The Industry Ministry, on the other hand, was asked to consider a proposal seeking to establish a centre of excellence for the research and development of SMEs.

On a proposal to set up a rubber hub, the spokesman said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha advised caution and asked concerned parties to follow up on a previously approved project to develop rubber farming in Bung Kan.

Gen Prayut said the cabinet had allocated 190 million baht to fund the scheme but there has still not been any progress.

Lt Gen Sansern said that 17 proposals involving water resources development worth a combined total of 3.87 billion baht were also tabled for consideration by the cabinet.

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