First industrial estate in Isan

First industrial estate in Isan

Udon Thani puts B20bn into 2,170 rai

Ms Somchint, third right, expects Udon Thani Industrial City to lure up to 100 billion baht in investment.
Ms Somchint, third right, expects Udon Thani Industrial City to lure up to 100 billion baht in investment.

Udon Thani Industrial City expects to spend 20 billion baht developing the first industrial estate in the Northeast on 2,170 rai in the province to serve investors considering relocating their production base from China to Asean.

Managing director Phisit Piputvilaikul said his company is in talks with Chinese and Japanese businessmen looking for a new location for their business investment and expansion.

"Our clients -- 70% from China and 30% from Japan -- want to buy land in the industrial estate to escape the impact of the US-China trade war," he said.

Mr Phisit said his company plans to develop the Udon Thani industrial estate in two phases: investment of 12 billion baht for 1,325 rai in the first phase and 8 billion for another 845 rai in the second phase.

"The first phase development is 50% complete," he said, referring to the construction of logistics facilities, a water supply system and roads.

"The land should be ready for sale in 2021."

The company is conducting a feasibility study on a power management plan, including a floating solar panel project, to supply electricity in the estate.

It is also in talks with the State Railway of Thailand to build a 2.3-kilometre rail track linking the industrial estate with Nong Takai station in Udon Thani, with a budget of 57 million baht.

"The railway will facilitate goods transport to Laem Chabang and Map Ta Phut deep-sea ports in Chon Buri and Rayong, as well as to southern China through the Sino-Thai high-speed train project in the future," said Mr Phisit.

Somchint Pilouk, governor of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT), which formed a joint venture with Udon Thani Industrial City, said she expects the new industrial estate will serve 80-100 factories, create 20,000 jobs and generate up to 100 billion baht in investment.

Udon Thani has high potential for agricultural processing industries because the province is well known for planting sugar cane, cassava and rice, she said.

IEAT has a total of 61 industrial estates in 17 provinces.

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT (12)