Industry Ministry pushes for Thai food hub in northern region

[webfact]

Industry Ministry pushes for Thai food hub in northern region
By English News



BANGKOK, July 15 – Thailand's Industry Ministry is moving forward toward bringing into reality the plan to materialise the Northern Food Valley project – an ambitious undertaking to upgrade Thailand’s North as a processing hub for agricultural produce and organic food, a high-ranking official said.

Industry Permanent Secretary Witoon Simachokedee said the cabinet has allocated Bt80 million to launch the scheme, including a supply chain of raw materials, food production, processing, marketing and management.

He said the ministry will cooperate with academic institutions in applying research on technology and innovation to strengthen the food processing industry in the North covering Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Lampang and Mae Hong Son where more than 500 food processing factories are located.

The agro food industry in the North has generated revenues of more than Bt2-3 billion each year.

The Northern Food Valley will prepare the region for the launch of the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015 and meet the global demand for quality food products, he said.

Mr Witoon said the Netherlands has provided technical and academic assistance in developing the project which will also expand to Nakhon Ratchasima in the Northeast and Prachuab Khiri Khan in the South.

The First Region Industrial Promotion Centre has joined hands with the Chambers of Industry in Chiang Mai and the North to hold an agro industrial and organic food exhibition at Central Plaza Chiang Mai Airport July 31-August 4.

There will be more than 120 booths in the event, to be officially launched by Industry Minister Prasert Boonchaisuk. It is expected to attract more than 15,000 visitors. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-07-15

[billd766]

What about us in Central down in Khampaeg Phet, Tak, Phitsanulok, Pichet and Nakhon Sawan then?

[animatic]

So yet again someone Spoke about a Hub.

[laurentbkk]

Thats what we need ..... another Hub .. whats next ?

[alant]

A northern food hub

But wait, with good links to Burma and Cambodia the north is an ideal place to process all of the rice being smuggled into Thailand

[soi41]

80M baht. Expects 15.000 visitors. So each visitor is going to cost the Thai taxpayers 5.000+baht. Pure genius!!

[CrisRMenumate]

So I went to the OTOP center in Hua Hin, Prachuab Khiri Kan province on the weekend - almost all the "organic" products had stearate, titanium oxide and other chemical additives, or maybe they weren't organic? just wondering... its apparently one of the "spokes" in this new hub...

[lostmebike]

A northern food hub

But wait, with good links to Burma and Cambodia the north is an ideal place to process all of the rice being smuggled into Thailand

Geographically, the north is nowhere near Cambodia. It's got to be over a 1000 kms away.

Do you mean the north east? If so, the north of isaan is nowhere near Burma.

Not sure about your comment. Even a 'link' of over a 1000 kms isn't 'good'.

Please clarify.

[Wavefloater]

And yet talk of another Thailand Hub scheme.

Is anybody keeping score? I think it's something like:

Thailand Hub Proposals: 1074 Thailand Hub Realizations: 0

[lostmebike]

And yet talk of another Thailand Hub scheme.

Is anybody keeping score? I think it's something like:

Thailand Hub Proposals: 1074 Thailand Hub Realizations: 0

Maybe a little jealousy at your own lack of Hubs???

Edited July 15, 2013 by lostmebike

[Wavefloater]

And yet talk of another Thailand Hub scheme.

Is anybody keeping score? I think it's something like:

Thailand Hub Proposals: 1074 Thailand Hub Realizations: 0

Maybe a little jealousy at your own lack of Hubs???

huh??? I don't get it. Is "hubs" slang for something?

Edited July 15, 2013 by Wavefloater

[Gsxrnz]

I'm curious about the frequent use of "hub" in Thai press releases.

Do they have a Thai word for hub that is used as we would use it in this context? According to my dictionary they only have "doom" which means the hub of a wheel.

Or are they using the actual English word "hub" as a loan word and can't find a more suitable alternative Thai word that suits the context?

[mikemac]

And yet talk of another Thailand Hub scheme.

Is anybody keeping score? I think it's something like:

Thailand Hub Proposals: 1074 Thailand Hub Realizations: 0

I don't know about that. I am sure we would at least qualify as the Hub of Moaning Pessimists

[lee b]

go for it !!!

[finnomick]

A northern region food hub -- good idea. What are they going to start with, rice ?

[alant]

A northern food hub

But wait, with good links to Burma and Cambodia the north is an ideal place to process all of the rice being smuggled into Thailand

Geographically, the north is nowhere near Cambodia. It's got to be over a 1000 kms away.

Do you mean the north east? If so, the north of isaan is nowhere near Burma.

Not sure about your comment. Even a 'link' of over a 1000 kms isn't 'good'.

Please clarify.

sorry lostmebike, wasn't meant to be that serious. I could have said Laos I suppose. I guess I must eat humble pie and digest the information you have passed on.