Cambodia and Thailand Will Speed Up Creating a Special Economic Zone after Diplomatic Relations Have Been Restored

Cambodia and Thailand Will Speed Up Creating a Special Economic Zone after Diplomatic Relations Have Been Restored

The Mirror, Vol. 14, No. 680

“Yesterday [29 August 2010], Cambodian and Thai officials promised to speed up establishing the Ou Neang Special Economic Zone in Banteay Meanchey soon, saying that the zone is a sign of warm relations between the two countries.

“The diplomatic ties between both countries have returned to normality after the former Thai prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra resigned from the position of economic advisor of the Cambodian government last week, after both countries had recalled their ambassadors over nine months ago.

“An Under-Secretary of State of the Ministry of Commerce of Thailand said that the Bangkok government will encourage negotiations soon to accelerate the Ou Neang Special Economic Zone plan that had been suspended for almost a year due to the border disputes between both countries.

“The Thai Under-Secretary of State of the Ministry of Commerce, Mr. Alongkorn Ponlaboot, said, ‘The Thai government will encourage Thai investors and businesspeople to build the Ou Neang Special Economic Zone for the sake of both countries.’

“He spoke to reporters after a meeting in the Phnom Penh Hotel, ‘I think now we are in a smiling and a happy atmosphere.’

“He added that the plan includes the construction of buildings for garment and shoes factories, and of other factories, including for the flower producing industry. However, he could not estimate the amount of investments in the zone.

“According to documents that the Phnom Penh Post received from the Council for the Development of Cambodia, approval had bren given for the construction of the first Special Economic Zone with an investment of US$15 million in October 2005, on an area of 467 hectares in Poipet and Nimet communes, Ou Chrov district, Banteay Meanchey.

“A Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the encouragement of special economic zones, Mr. Nhek Bunchhay, said that the project will create employment for more than 10,000 people in the area, where at present many people are crossing the border to seek jobs in Thailand. He said, ‘I think it is completely out-of-date to focus on a war with a neighboring country. Through the new start of bilateral ties, we will try to open more new border crossings for commerce, and we will turn Poipet into a crossing point for tourism.’

“The Minister of Information, Mr. Khieu Kanharith, said that despite of political changes, the commercial ties between both countries remain strong.” Phnom Penh Post [Khmer Edition], Vol.1, #247, 30.8.2010

This article was first published by The Mirror, [3] Vol. 14, No. 680 - Monday, 30.8.2010
Have a look at the last editorial - you can access it directly from the main page of The Mirror. [3]

Norbert Klein is the Editor of The Mirror [4] – The Mirror is a daily comprehensive summary and translation of the major Khmer language press - More about The Mirror [5]