Cabinet to adopt development guideline for Dawei SEZ link

The National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) will ask the cabinet to adopt its guidelines on infrastructure development tomorrow, as the government seeks to start working on the long-awaited link that will connect the Dawei Special Economic Zone in Myanmar with Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).

A source said the NESDC wants ministers concerned to stick with the guidelines when approving budgets and projects which will link Myanmar, Thailand’s Central Plains and EEC on the Eastern seaboard.

According to the source, the NESDC’s guidelines were meant to “set the tone” for the infrastructure projects, with the ultimate aim of turning the three regions into a hub for border trade, agricultural production, environmentally-friendly industries and eco-tourism.

“The points on railway and motorway construction are central to the NESDC’s guidelines, as once completed, these projects will play a key role in transporting goods and people from Dawei in Myanmar all the way to the EEC,” said the source.

He added that the NESDC plans to ask the cabinet to speed up the development of the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Ban Namphun Ron — a border town in Kanchanaburi — which will serve as a “gateway” to Myanmar.

The source said the NESDC is planning to ask the cabinet to adopt the guidelines during the two-day mobile cabinet meeting convened by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, which kicks off later today.

The construction and development of a deep-sea port and a SEZ in Dawei is trundling along at a slow pace, despite the fact that both Myanmar and Thailand have set up Dawei SEZ Development Co as a special-purpose vehicle to manage the facilities in Dawei — which will ultimately include a port, roads and rail links, power plants, waterworks, industrial estates, telecommunications towers and a township.

Separately, the Chamber of

Commerce for the lower central provinces is preparing to ask Gen Prayut to conduct a feasibility study on a 2,200-kilometre road from Chiang Rai to Chumphon.

Its chairman, Thirachai Chutiman, said the new road will not only facilitate travel to the deep South, as it will also improve logistics between Thailand and its neighbouring countries, including Myanmar.