‘Rubber City’ in Thailand’s south to drive development
The planned “Rubber City” in Thailand’s southern province of Songhkla, an industrial estate focused on rubber production and processing, is hoped to spur investment in the troubled region and help fostering peace.
The estate would be set up the border area to Malaysia adjacent to the Prakop border checkpoint in Na Thawi district, which is seen as the most suitable site by both countries. Thailand said it will provide latex of good quality and other raw materials for the rubber city. Malaysia, which needs 30,000 workers from southern Thailand, would benefit from less costly labour at the rubber-processing industrial estate.
Rubber production in the province is just about 15 per cent of the total production in Thailand and could be much higher, experts said, because the insurgency has stifled investment in the region.
The rubber city could also serve as a pilot project for ASEAN. Thailand would like to eventually see similar ventures being set up along the Thai border with other countries as part of a broader ASEAN effort to increase economic integration in the region.
Thailand produces around 3.6 million tonnes of rubber a year. Out of this volume, up to 3.0 million tonnes are exported. Rubber exports earn Thailand more than $10 billion annually. Only 12 to 14 per cent of the country’s rubber output is used in the country, while 7 to 9 per cent is kept in stock. About one million farm families, comprising six million people, in Thailand are engaged in rubber production.
The planned "Rubber City" in Thailand's southern province of Songhkla, an industrial estate focused on rubber production and processing, is hoped to spur investment in the troubled region and help fostering peace. The estate would be set up the border area to Malaysia adjacent to the Prakop border checkpoint in Na Thawi district, which is seen as the most suitable site by both countries. Thailand said it will provide latex of good quality and other raw materials for the rubber city. Malaysia, which needs 30,000 workers from southern Thailand, would benefit from less costly labour at the rubber-processing industrial estate....
The planned “Rubber City” in Thailand’s southern province of Songhkla, an industrial estate focused on rubber production and processing, is hoped to spur investment in the troubled region and help fostering peace.
The estate would be set up the border area to Malaysia adjacent to the Prakop border checkpoint in Na Thawi district, which is seen as the most suitable site by both countries. Thailand said it will provide latex of good quality and other raw materials for the rubber city. Malaysia, which needs 30,000 workers from southern Thailand, would benefit from less costly labour at the rubber-processing industrial estate.
Rubber production in the province is just about 15 per cent of the total production in Thailand and could be much higher, experts said, because the insurgency has stifled investment in the region.
The rubber city could also serve as a pilot project for ASEAN. Thailand would like to eventually see similar ventures being set up along the Thai border with other countries as part of a broader ASEAN effort to increase economic integration in the region.
Thailand produces around 3.6 million tonnes of rubber a year. Out of this volume, up to 3.0 million tonnes are exported. Rubber exports earn Thailand more than $10 billion annually. Only 12 to 14 per cent of the country’s rubber output is used in the country, while 7 to 9 per cent is kept in stock. About one million farm families, comprising six million people, in Thailand are engaged in rubber production.
