The government is optimistic that investment in its flagship Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) can reach 400 billion baht next year, driven both by private investment and infrastructure development.
Of the total, 300 billion baht is expected to be generated by private investment, while 100 billion would stem from key infrastructure projects including a high-speed rail linking Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang and U-tapao airports, a renovation of U-tapao airport, Map Ta Put industrial port phase 3 and Laem Chabang port phase 3.
EEC Office secretary-general Kanit Sangsubhan said private investment is also expected to become more active next year after being delayed this year due to the pandemic.
Referring to EEC investment applications via the Board of Investment (BoI), Mr Kanit said 387 projects were recorded in the first 11 months this year, down from 415 projects during the same period last year.
The value of the projects recorded during the first 11 months of 2020 fell to 128 billion baht from 199 billion during the same period last year.
Investment applications in the EEC accounted for 41% of all applications filed through the BoI.
Investment in the 10 targeted industries in the EEC amounted to 69.9 billion baht, accounting for 59% of the total investment.
Of the total investment, the old or first S-curve industries (electrical appliances and electronics; automotive and parts; petrochemical and chemicals; tourism; and agriculture and food processing) contributed a combined 57.9 billion baht.
The new S-curve industries (robotics; aviation and logistics; digital; biofuels and biochemicals; and medical services) accounted for 12 billion baht.
Mr Kanit said the EEC Policy Committee chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday acknowledged next year's investment prospects in the EEC, while agreeing to promote 10,000 factories and 300 hotels in the EEC to use 5G technology to upgrade their products and services.
Installation of 5G technology infrastructure in the EEC is 80% complete.
Mr Kanit said the committee also agreed yesterday to accelerate related agencies and private companies in developing basic infrastructure for data management in order to support the public and private sectors collecting information in the cloud, which will then be developed as data centre or "common data lake".
Businesses and startups would be able to use the common data lake to upgrade their businesses, such as for e-commerce, tourism, public health and medical services, he said.
"Among the 10,000 factories in the EEC, only 15% have already upgraded their production to an automated system. The EEC will support a system integrator to help those factories, hotels and public agencies to upgrade their products and services," said Mr Kanit.
The EEC Committee also agreed to improve the EEC of Digital, a flagship developments in the EEC scheme.
The committee assigned the EEC Office to seek greater cooperation from foreign agencies experienced in the establishment of digital and innovation zones abroad, such as organisations from Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and the EU, in place of public-private partnerships in an earlier plan.
The committee plans to urge companies in the EEC to upskill and reskill 100,000 employees, Mr Kanit said.