Chatrudee Theparat
Bangkok Post
Thailand is being pressed to ratify cross-border transport agreements before the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) meets in December in order to benefit from greater regional cooperation.
The six GMS members have reached 20 agreements to facilitate the movement of goods and people, but Thailand has ratified only 14 of them.
Two draft agreements were scheduled to go before parliament earlier this year, but the House was dissolved in May before they could be approved.
Under the agreements, goods arriving in transit to a third country will be inspected once at a checkpoint, then sealed and sent on without the need for further inspection at the final destination.
The agreements also include implementation of World Health Organisation regulations for immigration procedures.
Thailand, Laos and Vietnam have ratified agreements for two checkpoints _ Mukdahan/Savannakhet and Aranyaprathet/Poipet.
Only Thailand and Burma have yet to ratify all the agreements, while Laos, Cambodia, southern China and Vietnam have fulfilled their commitments.
Poramathee Vimolsiri, a deputy secretary-general of the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB), said his agency expects parliament will approve the agreements soon, hopefully in time for Thailand, Laos and southern China to implement them early next year.
Thailand and other GMS members must also speed up improvements to their information technology systems to facilitate customs and immigration procedures, he said.
Mr Poramathee also said Thailand needs an economic restructuring in which cheap-labour industries are relocated to neighbouring countries, with the Thai government supporting them in term of loans and other facilities.
The NESDB recently hosted a seminar in various border towns aimed at educating the public and investors on both economic opportunities and effects of the agreements.
Mr Poramathee said regional road development is almost complete, with only a few missing stretches of road, rail and bridge left.
Since 2000, the Thai government has provided aid and loans for 19 projects worth a combined 12 billion baht for infrastructure linking neighbouring countries - 14 projects in Laos, two in Burma and three in Cambodia.
The agency estimates 189 billion baht will be needed for further infrastructure development over the next five years to strengthen links under various cooperation agreements and the Asean Economic Community.
These include a high-speed rail network, roads, border town development and border economic zones.
1 comment:
Khmericans = Shit the scum of American society, They can't even help Khmer Nation where they were born and how can they help American society! What’s a shameful on khmericans.
Khmericans is the most shameful community in America -> reason why they are just an opportunities people who are not afraid in sell out their Khmer Nation as well as Cambodia and How can American will put trust in these Khmericans in defence democracy and America.
Very shameful Khmericans! over 225 000 but only 100 Khmericans were turn up for Cambodia and Cambodian people justice.
The scum and the most shit cheap community in America is Khmerican. Why? Because over 225 000 Khmericans but only 100 Khmericans were turn up for protest against injustice in Cambodia. 100 Khmericans = less than 0.045% of total Khmericans population in the USA.
If these people who called themself Khmericans can't even stand to protest the injustice in their motherland called Cambodia. How can American people trust these Khmericans in protect America Nation. What’s a joke!
Shame on Khmericans! American people won't trust Khmericans in saying Khmericans will defend America because Khmericans can't even stand to fight the injustice issues in Cambodia. Khmericans in fact are opportunities and selfish community in America. Khmericans are so cheap as they demonstrate last protest 100 Khmericans were turn up out of over 225 000 total Khmericans. Khmericans are scum living beneath AMERICA SOCIETY.
Khmericans have no honour in say they will defence America because Khmericans can't even defend their previous country.
Shame! Shame! On Khmericans, over 225 000. You know you are nothing but scum in American Society.
Pi Anh,
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