Commerce Ministry Revives Economy In Five Southern Border Provinces

[sbk]

Commerce Ministry revives economy in five southern border provinces

PATTANI, June 16 (TNA) – Commerce Minister Pornthiva Nakasai on Wednesday chaired the opening ceremony of the 2010 economic projects to develop trade in Thailand's five southern border provinces as part of the cooperation between state agencies and the private sector to rehabilitate the economy in Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, Songkhla and Satun.

As trade and investment in these five provinces have been hit by the insurgency, the rehabilitation projects aim at helping the residents to depend on themselves, strengthening the economy in the southern border zone and developing local products to compete in the world market, Mrs Pornthiva said.

The rehabilitation measures included a project to educate entrepreneurs, who want to compete in the world market, about rules and regulations, difficulties in cross-border trade, benefits and product development to reach world-class standard.

Another project is to promote and improve local Halal food restaurants to meet worldwide Muslim dietary standards in order to serve the demand of Thai and foreign Muslim visitors.

The ministry also promotes Thai-made Muslim apparel and costume accessories to compete in international markets, train local designers regarding skills in making Muslim clothing and promotes the costume under the Muslim Fashion brand.

Mrs Pornthiva added that the ministry plans to stimulate more cross-border trade after the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) came into effect on January 1. The commerce ministry projected that cross-border trades would earn Bt1 trillion (over US$30 billion) in 2012.

Meanwhile, Pattani Chamber of Commerce president Natthanon Pongthanyawiriya explained that the regional insurgency caused the economic slowdown, particularly reducing investor confidence.

He added that lower volumes of freight transport to the southern border provinces has occurred as some businesses and traders drop their goods in Songkhla’s Hat Yai district as the last destination to the five border provinces.

As local businessmen also face difficulties to request business loans, Mr Natthanon asked the regions state owned banks to grant more loans to entrepreneurs.

Mr Natthanon also called on the government to apply rehabilitation measures for protest-hit retailers in Bangkok in helping the southern border people sell their wares. (TNA)

-- TNA 2010//06/16