Bangkok--15 Oct--Core & Peak
Ministry of Transport hosted a seminar “Public Relations Campaign to Raise Awareness and Learn the Public Hearings on Development Roadmap for Transportation Infrastructure for year 2013 — 2020” to serve the economic growth and welcome the economic expansion during the upcoming ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015.
Minister of Transport H.E. Charupong Ruangsuwan presided over the opening ceremony of the seminar “Public Relations Campaign to Raise Awareness and Learn the Public Hearings on Development Roadmap for Transportation Infrastructure for year 2013 — 2020” which aimed to encourage participation, raise awareness among local people while promoting interest among Thai people on this mega project by government. After the function, the Ministry will summarize and prepare report on public survey on their opinions towards this infrastructure project to be used as supporting documents for issuing the Act on national infrastructure investment in the future.
Stated the Minister “Currently, government is realizing its policy statement to the parliament on 23 August 2011 by giving the high priority to many operations including connecting transportation network with neighboring countries to get ready for and serve the upcoming AEC in 2015. The government is preparing the investment plan to upgrade infrastructures from year 2013 — 2020 worth over 2 trillion baht to serve the economic growth in the next 10 — 15 years. Most of the projects will be related to transportation which would sharpen the national competitive edges.”
However, these projects are considered as ongoing and long-term projects which would affect Thai people in many levels. To execute the projects in the long run, roadmaps must be developed to encourage participation and raise awareness on the effects caused by these projects while collecting opinions from all related parties to educate, promote understanding and encourage participation towards these development plans by synchronizing the development of infrastructures.
The implementation of AEC in 2015 will require the serious development on all transportations which must conform the 11th National Economic and Social Development Plan by aiming to cut logistics costs from 17.9% per GDP to 2% within 5 years. In this regard, Ministry of Transport is in charge of the transportation costs which is accounted to 8.7%.Upon execution, all projects must promote a transformation in current transportation ratios (including land transportation accounted at 86%, marine transportation at 12%, railway transportation at 2% and air transportation at 0.2%). The new projects will promote the use of marine and railway transportations to 14% and 4% namely.
Located in the northeastern part of Thailand, Ubonrachathani Province plays vital role for the regional economy as seen by the cross-border transaction value with Lao PDR at 111,020 million baht in year 2011. Most of commercial and tourism transportation are made through Chongmek-Wangtao Boundary Post. However, the transportation must be adapted to be in line with the upcoming regulations of AEC so urgent development and investment must be made to promote this Boundary Post as the transportation hub with neighboring countries, especially the connection of transportation network with other key Boundary Posts including Nongkai, Mae Sod, Mookdahan, Sa Kaew, Singkorn and Chongmek. Therefore, the Ministry of Transport will proceed with investment plan to develop transportation infrastructure for all regions. In this regard, the Ministry requires to encourage participation and raise awareness among local people to promote their interests in these mega projects in the near future.
Therefore, Ministry of Transport, with the direct responsibility on national transportation and infrastructure developments, must conduct survey to gather comments from all related parties and local people to gain their consensus for the investments on transportation infrastructure development plan in all regions. The Ministry will use the collected data to analyze challenges and opportunities of all projects to optimize the benefits for all Thai people based on the objectives to cut transportation costs to improve quality of life and sharpen national competitive edges while promoting the decentralization of revenues and investments to all areas.
Editorial Contacts:
Jitjam Adsawakeawmongkol,Tanitha Vittayanon
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