EEC development plan unveiled at public hearing
The draft of a five-year plan to develop the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) was presented at a public hearing held by the EEC Office on Friday at Pullman Bangkok King Power Hotel.
The EEC comprises the three eastern provinces of Rayong, Chonburi, and Chachoengsao. It is considered one of Thailand’s most prominent economic and industrial zones.
More than 200 representatives from the public and the private sector, as well as international organisations, attended the hearing. They took turns asking questions and making suggestions about the plan which will be implemented from 2023 to 2027. It is the second phase of the EEC development under Thailand’s 20-year National Strategy (2017-2036).
EEC Office secretary general Chula Sukmanop said the public hearing focused on the potential of the five-year plan in complementing the government’s Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) economic model and how to make the EEC area ready for economic, social, and environmental change over the next five years.
Chula estimated that the EEC will attract 2.2 trillion baht of investment during its second phase, which will help further improve the infrastructure and quality of life of local people.
The EEC Office will use all suggestions made at the hearing as guidelines to further improve the development plan, and expects to present it to the ECC Office’s board of directors for approval by September.
Chula also said that within this year the EEC Office will propose 44 new organic laws to the Cabinet for approval. These laws will help facilitate foreign investment as well as reduce obstacles and costs of doing business. Among them are the establishment of a one-stop service centre for businesses, streamlining the process for construction and factory registration, privileges for energy businesses, and the issuance of five-year visas for foreign business people working in the EEC.
The EEC Office reported that in the first phase of the development plan (2018-2022), the EEC attracted more than 2 trillion baht in investment, higher than the target of 1.5 trillion baht. Of the amount, 1.25 trillion baht was investments approved by the Thailand Board of Investment, 661 billion baht was through public-private infrastructure projects, and over 70 billion baht was state budget approved for the development of the EEC.
