Southern Economic Corridor

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Southern Economic Corridor
Special Economic Zone
CountryThailand
RegionSouthern Thailand
Provinces
Government
 • TypeSpecial economic zone
Area
 • Total32,141 km2 (12,410 sq mi)
Population
 (2019)[1]
 • Total3,334,611
Time zoneUTC+7 (ICT)

The Southern Economic Corridor (Abrv: SEC; Thai: การพัฒนาพื้นที่ระเบียงเศรษฐกิจภาคใต้อย่างยั่งยืน) is a special economic zone on the upper south of Thailand. It consists of four provinces, including Chumphon, Ranong, Surat Thani and Nakhon Si Thammarat.[2] The SEC is part of a larger plan to link up the Andaman Sea with the Gulf of Thailand by land, air, and water, connecting the SEC with the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). The project aims to promote sustainable development, increase competitiveness, and connectivity with neighboring countries, including members of BIMSTEC.[3][4][5][6]

History[edit]

The Southern Economic Corridor (SEC) was approved by the Thai cabinet in August 2018 as a project that aims to connect transportation between the Gulf of Thailand and Andaman, resulting in a complete transport and communication linkage.[7][8] It enables increased potential to support transport volume from the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) area to directly export/import to BIMSTEC countries, as well as Middle East and European countries.[9][10][11][3]

Infrastructure[edit]

The SEC project, including the Land Bridge Project, aims to improve transportation infrastructure between the Gulf of Thailand and Andaman, while also promoting green, culture, smart, and livable cities. In addition to developing and expanding airports such as Nakhon Si Thammarat, Ranong, and Surat Thani, plans are also underway to develop Ranong Port and Ao Ang Port to accommodate up to 40 million TEUs per side, improve coastal roads linking the Andaman Coast with the inner area of the South, expand the Ranong-Phang Nga highway to four lanes, and implement the double-track railway Chumphon-Ranong route, which has been designed to support Double Deck to transport containers on both sides of the port. The Land Bridge Project aims to link the Gulf of Thailand with the Andaman Sea, resulting in a more efficient transportation network for the region. The project is expected to be approved by the cabinet in June 2023, and construction is planned to begin in 2025 with an estimated completion date of 2030.[12][10][11][3][9][13]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Demography Population and Housing Branch". National Statistical Office (NSO). Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  2. ^ "Southern Economic Corridor 'still on track'". The Nation Thailand. September 25, 2020. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c B200bn Southern Corridor plan gets nod, August 22, 2018
  4. ^ "New regional zones approved by panel", Bangkok Post, May 6, 2022
  5. ^ "Thailand's infrastructure outlook remains positive in 2021 despite COVID-19". PricewaterhouseCoopers. March 10, 2021. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  6. ^ "Govt launches Bt4.47bn study for southern land bridge". The Nation Thailand. March 5, 2021. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  7. ^ Ranong Port to be Thailand's Gateway to South Asia, September 10, 2018
  8. ^ Cabinet nods to Southern Economic Corridor project, August 21, 2018
  9. ^ a b Govt to drive forward development of Southern Economic Corridor, September 25, 2020
  10. ^ a b ปัดฝุ่นลงทุน SEC สานต่อการพัฒนาเศรษฐกิจภาคใต้ (in Thai), October 5, 2020
  11. ^ a b "Bt106.8-bn budget allocated as Cabinet nods to SEC". The Nation Thailand. January 22, 2019. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  12. ^ กางไทม์ไลน์ 'แลนด์บริดจ์' ชง ครม.ธ.ค.นี้ เร่งร่าง พ.ร.บ. SEC ดันเปิดประมูล ปี 68 เปิดเฟสแรกรับ 20 ล้านทีอียูปี 73, November 1, 2022
  13. ^ จ่อชง ครม. เห็นชอบโปรเจคท์ "แลนด์บริดจ์" ชุมพร-ระนองสิ้นปีนี้ (in Thai), November 11, 2022
Sources

External links[edit]