EEC, another link for Thailand-CLMV

BANGKOK, March 24 (TNA) - The government has targeted to develop the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) to become another regional hub linking the economies of Thailand and the CLMV group, comprising Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam, and to be a platform towards the achievement of the Thailand's 4.0 innovative policy. Thai Industry Minister Uttama Savanayana spoke of the government's targeted roadmap while delivering a speech at a seminar in Bangkok on March 23, themed "CLMVT a new Asian driving force:a link with the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC)". Uttama said large-scaled Thai and foreign investing firms have already sought information on incentives to be provided by the Thai government in EEC, namely UK-based Rolls-Royce and France-based Airbus, as well as e-commerce operators and developers of robots, medical equipment and high technological trains. Uttama noted that the Board of Investment of Thailand (BOI), under his ministry, is scheduled to first introduce on March 24 promotional programs for international investors in the electric vehicles (EV) industry, in which the corporate income tax will be relaxed for up to 13 years to draw more investment projects and to promote innovative knowhow and technological transfers to Thailand. According to the minister, the BOI promotional programs will then be forwarded to the Thai Cabinet for further consideration and a decision on March 28. The industry minister revealed that the international investing firms have also urged the Thai government to speed up building sufficient battery charging stations in the country and implementing measures to promote more use of EVs, especially at local eco-tourist sites and by government agencies. The minister estimated that the use of EVs should be considerably increased in Thailand over the next five years if the proposed facilities and measures were in good place. (TNA)