Commerce Ministry confidents on success of SEZs

BANGKOK, March 1 (TNA) -- The Commerce Ministry is confident that the government-sponsored special economic zones (SEZs) would receive immense interest from Thai and foreign investors while it plans to take interested businessmen to visit Sa Kaeo province bordering Cambodia, one of SEZs, later this week, said Duangporn Rodphaya, director-general of Foreign Trade Department. Her remarks were made following the success of ‘Open House’ seminar held Monday at Bangkok’s Siam Paragon shopping complex. The government has decided to allow businessmen to visit the SEZ in Sa Kaeo as it believes that the province is well prepared and could become the model for the rest of nine SEZs in Thailand. Some academics have questioned that benefits offered by the Thai government are different from other countries. But the Thai Commerce Ministry considers that advantages to be given to businessmen investing in the SEZs are sufficient while the country has a strong cross-border trade. Presently, certain industries which will invest at the SEZs include logistics and goods distribution outlets. Cross-border trade value in 2015 totaled 1.4 trillion baht while it is believed that it would increase to 1.5 trillion baht this year. Concerned officials are expected to discuss target value of cross-border trade for 2016 later in March. (TNA)