Thailand works out country planning in border areas in lead-up to AC

BANGKOK, July 28 (TNA) - Thailand, through the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning (DPT) and the Agricultural Land Reform Office (ARLO), is working out country planning in border areas to welcome the formation of the ASEAN Community (AC) by the end of 2015, beginning with Chiang Khong District of Chiang Rai Province in the Thai North. DPT Director-General Monthol Sudprasert and ARLO Secretary-General Veerachai Nakwiboonwong signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the joint country planning project in Bangkok on Monday. Under the MOU, both sides will work out the country planning that will serve local demand and protect farmlands, with the ARLO to provide land information and the DPT to plan development and design country planning and land use. Monthol told journalists that the work starts in Chiang Khong because it is an important location, where there are vast areas for agricultural land reform. Monthol said that the planning will prepare border areas for trade and transport to support the AC formation, as instructed by the Thai army-led National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). Veerachai acknowledged, meanwhile, that the collaboration of both agencies will result in the order of land use and the country planning will then support future growth and changes. (TNA)