Dozen border areas to be developed in Thailand

BANGKOK, July 19 (TNA) - In an attempt to improve the livelihood of people living along Thai border areas and promote border trade, a committee has recently agreed to further develop 12 border areas. Thai Army Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha , who is also leader of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), told the public of the move during his weekly address broadcast nationwide on Friday night. General Prayuth elaborated that the special economic zone policy committee agreed at its meeting earlier this week to further develop the 12 border areas nationwide. General Prayuth noted that five of the 12 border areas will be developed in 2015, including Tak (ตาก) Province’s Mae Sot District bordering Myanmar, Trat and Mukdahan Provinces bordering Cambodia, Sa Kaeo Province’s Aranyaprathet District bordering Cambodia and Songkhla Province's Sadao and Padang Baesar customs checkpoints at the Thai-Malaysian border. The NCPO chief said local basic infrastructure will also be improved and investment will be promoted in the lead up to the formation of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Economic Community (AEC) by the end of 2015. According to the NCPO chief, the planned development of the border areas should also help address border problems, including smuggling of agricultural products from neighbouring countries, smuggling of stolen vehicles from Thailand and illegal entry of migrant workers into Thailand. On tourism promotion, the NCPO chief revealed that the juhta has decided to waive visa fee for Chinese tourists wishing to visit Thailand for three months, as part of 40-year celebrations of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The junta leader stated that he has also ordered the Finance Ministry to discuss with the Tourism and Sports Ministry and other concerned government agencies on the possibility of setting up a special fund to assist foreign tourists facing problems while travelling in the country, aimed to boost international tourists’ confidence in Thailand. (TNA)