Thailand to speed investment approvals in ambitious development plan

Author: Agencies

BANGKOK: Thailand’s junta will invoke a constitutional provision this week to help speed investment approvals in an ambitious $44-billion effort to develop the country’s industrial east, a government spokesman said on Tuesday.

Growth in Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy has lagged regional peers since the army took power in 2014. Planned large infrastructure projects have been slow to get off the ground.

The military government hopes the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) development project will lift growth to about 5 percent a year by 2020, from a projected figure of around 3 percent to 4 percent this year.

“The government is committed to the EEC in order to drive the country’s economy,” the government spokesman, Sansern Kaewkamnerd, told reporters, adding that he expected the measure to be announced this week.

The measure will allow a panel chaired by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha to approve public-private investment projects in the corridor, hastening a process that now takes between eight and nine months, Sansern said.

It will also help cut to less than a year the time needed for environment impact assessments, he added.

Share
Leave a Comment

Recent Posts

  • Pakistan

E&P firms announce $5 bn investment in oil, gas sector

The local and international firms of Pakistan's oil & gas exploration and production (E&P) sector,…

17 hours ago
  • Pakistan

PTI power show postponed after NOC cancelation

Moves court against NOC cancelation The PTI has postponed its power show, which was set…

17 hours ago
  • Pakistan

PML-N defectors launch Awaam Pakistan party

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Saturday said that "tainted" politicians will not be part…

17 hours ago
  • Pakistan

Pezeshkian wins Iran’s presidential runoff election

Reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian won Iran´s runoff presidential election Saturday, besting hard-liner Saeed Jalili by…

17 hours ago
  • Pakistan

Nawaz lends support to operation Azm-e-Istehkam

After the announcement of a new anti-terrorism drive - Operation Azm-e-Istehkam (Resolve for Stability), Pakistan…

17 hours ago
  • Pakistan

Tarar questions credibility of Awam Pakistan founders

Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National Heritage and Culture Attaullah Tarar on Saturday questioned credibility…

17 hours ago