The cabinet on Tuesday approved the development of the Southern Economic Corridor (SEC), covering 116 projects worth 106.79 billion baht.
The 116 projects will be developed on a combined 300,000 square metres in Chumphon, Ranong, Surat Thani and Nakhon Si Thammarat during 2019-22.
Nathporn Chatusripitak, an adviser to the minister of the Prime Minister's Office, said the four-year development will cover four key strategic plans, with the first aiming to develop the SEC as the gateway to South Asia and a link to the Eastern Economic Corridor.
The first plan covers 11 projects worth 50.3 billion baht, including the upgrade of Ranong deep-sea port and airports in four provinces.
The second plan will call for the development of tourism links between the "Royal Coast" tourism cluster, which includes Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon and Ranong and the Andaman Sea, covering 33 projects worth a combined 39.6 billion baht.
In March, the cabinet approved in principle the Royal Coast project around Hua Hin, where there is a royal residential retreat, as part of the government's 20-year development plan running until 2020.
The government plans for a high-end tourism campaign in western coastal provinces to boost income in the region.
Under the second plan, the government is also committed to upgrading and increasing the value of hot springs and the construction of a highway along the coast from Samut Songkhram, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon and Ranong.
The third plan will focus on the development of bio-based and processed agriculture products covering 33 projects, worth 7.37 billion baht, such as the development of an integrated herbal centre, a research centre for aquatic animals and pilot plants for rubber innovation.
The fourth plan covers 39 projects worth 9.6 billion baht for natural resource preservation, such as Ranong mangrove conservation, the construction of a service centre for the elderly in Chumphon, and the development of infrastructure for telecommunication.
Mr Nathporn said the 107-km four-lane road to link the planned SEC area and other southern provinces is under construction, and the development of the 167-km double-track rail from Chumphon to Ranong is scheduled to be finished in 2022.
In a related development, the cabinet also approved five urgent projects worth 448.96 million baht to be allocated from the central budget of fiscal 2019 for the planned SEC provinces.