Thailand's special border economic zones to be quickly set up

BANGKOK, February 5 (TNA) - Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha has signed an order on special economic zones in five border provinces, under which concerned parties are to speed up a clear determination and an efficient development of the special economic areas. Permanent Secretary for Finance Rungson Sriworasat, in his capacity as the chair of a sub-committee on the special economic zones, told journalists on Thursday that the prime minister signed the official order on January 19. Rungson noted that the special economic zones are, thus, being developed in the northwestern Tak Province bordering Myanmar, the northeastern Mukdahan Province bordering Laos, the eastern Sa Kaeo and Trat Provinces bordering Cambodia and the southern Songkhla Province bordering Malaysia. Under the order, Rungson said, Mae Sot and Mae Ramat Districts will be turned into Tak's special economic zone, three districts will become Mukdahan's special economic zone, two districts will be Sa Kaeo's special economic zone, Khlong Yai District will be Trat's special economic zone and Sadao District will become Songkhla's special economic zone. Meanwhile, Interior Minister General Anupong Paojinda visited Sa Kaeo to inspect the area designated for the development of a special border economic zone to ensure that industrialists, investors and commercial parties can quickly utilize the area, as instructed by the prime minister, before proceeding to visit other special economic zones later. (TNA)