1. Sa Kaeo Province plays an important role in border trade, tourism services and transportation. The province is also a gateway to South-East Corridor (SEC) connecting to Cambodia in Poipet-Oniang Special Economic Zone and to south of Vietnam through a sea port. As located close to Laem Chabang Port, Sa Kaeo has the opportunity to be a manufacturing base to export goods which support expansion of trade and investment of the country.
2. Sa Kaeo Province created the highest trade value among 7 provinces located along Cambodia border. In 2015, Sa Kaeo Province made 80,245.96 million baht from border trade with Cambodia (64.55 percent of Thailand-Cambodia border trade value). The export value was 61,977.03 million baht and import value was 18,268.93 million baht. Important export goods were agricultural tools, machines and equipment, car, construction equipment, pigs, animal feed, consumer goods and plastic products.
3. The situation of wholesale and retail in Rong Kluea Market, Aranyaprathet District, after an arrest of copyright infringement and prosecuted of the cases by related authorities resulted in a business downturn for some time as a number of Cambodian vendors did not cross the border to do business. However, the situation has improved as the authorities in Sa Kaeo Province and the central government have integrated their missions to prevent loss and arranged meetings to set up action plans to prevent and suppress the Intellectual Property infringement in Rong Kluea Market under the name “Sa Kaeo Model”. Moreover, infringing intellectual property products were seized by responsible authorities who also emphasized that such products will be no longer found in Rong Kluea Market.
4. The government has the policy on establishment of Sa Kaeo Special Economic Zone by promoting Tha Kham Sub-District, Ban Dan Sub-District and Ban Rai Sub-District in Aranyaprathet District and Phak Kha Sub-District in Watthana Nakhon Districts to be Special Economic Zones to attract international investment and enhance competitiveness in order to provide prosperity distribution to local economy, reduce economic and social gap and solve security problems especially along the borders.
5. Sa Kaeo Province has prepared for the establishment of Special Economic Zone. The Province was granted budget for infrastructure construction such as road construction on the route 358 – Ban Pa Rai, highway construction connected to the border checkpoint at Ban Nong Ian – Stueng Bat, C.I.Q Office construction and Inspection and Release area, as well as the new permanent border crossing point at Ban Nong Ian, etc.
Challenges and Obstacles
Challenges and obstacles in developing Sa Kaeo Special Economic Zone are the location of the special economic zone to be either in Ban Pa Rai, Pa Rai Sub-District or Ban Nong Ian, Tha Kham Sub-District which creates conflicts between the locals, heavy traffic at the border check point, cost of investment and implementation of Special Economic Zone and high cost of private rental area and inspecting of infringing intellectual property products at Rong Kluea Market causing a business downturn, as well as unclear border between Thailand and Cambodia in Ban Pa Rai Economic Zone.
Views and Suggestions from the Study Visit
1. The development of Sa Kaeo Special Economic Zone has the best progress comparing to other Special Economic Zones due to the preparation of Ratchaphatsadu Land registration, industrial estate planning, transportation system and distribution of goods as well as road construction connecting to areas. In order to attract more investors to Sa Keao Special Economic Zone, private sectors and related authorities should implement as follows:
1.1 Accelerate infrastructure constructions especially the road to Ban Pa Rai, Khlong Phrom Hot Bridge which connect to Oniang in Cambodia, construction of the new Border Check Point in Ban Nong Ian, Tha Kham Sub-District as well as providing water and electricity system to be completed within the timeframe in order to attract investors as soon as possible.
1.2 Settle the dispute on Thailand – Cambodian border along Ban Pa Rai Border as soon as possible in order to establish a permanent check point to connect to Cambodia.
1.3 Accelerate skill development plans in order to support industrial investment moving its manufacturing base to Sa Keao Province
1.4 Establish connectivity between Ban Pa Rai Economic Zone, Sa Keao Province and Poipet-Oniang Special Economic Zone in Cambodia which is only one kilometer apart.
1.5 Board of Investment should link investment data base with the province and grant permission to One Stop Service Center in Sa Keao Province for the investment approval (not exceeding 50 million baht).
2. Set up standard in Rong Kluea Market to promote trade whole sale and retail, enhance border economy and trade and tourism
2.1 Maintain policy of Rong Kluea Market as a place for exchanging goods between Thailand and Cambodia
2.2 Set up measures to attract products distribution as well as market management and public relations in order for consumers to shop at Rong Kluea Market which can enhance the economy and income of the people in Sa Keao Province.
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