NationThailand-May 19
Thailand pushed for stronger economic cooperation at the 15th Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) Summit on May 11, Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said on Thursday. The IMT-GT covers 85 million people in less developed regions of the three countries – 14 provinces in Thailand’s South, eight states in peninsular Malaysia, and 10 provinces of Sumatra.
Held in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia on May 11, the summit heard that the subregion’s trade volume reached US$618 billion (20.3 trillion baht) in 2021, surging from $350.9 billion the year before despite Covid-19.Arkhom, who attended the summit as Thailand’s representative, said the IMT-GT had also boosted the subregion’s GDP from $12.7 billion in 1984 to $405.7 billion in 2021. The summit marked the 30th anniversary of the IMT-GT’s founding. Meanwhile, the value of transport infrastructure projects under IMT-GT’s physical connection project (PCP) action plan jumped from $5.2 billion in 2009 to $57 billion (1.81 trillion baht) in 2022.
Arkhom told the summit that IMT-GT must continue focusing on the following four development aspects:
- Construction of transport infrastructure under the PCP action plan to create seamless connectivity among the three countries. Thailand has four projects under the action plan – the Hat Yai-Padang Besar railway, Sadao-Bukit Kayu Hitam road, the second Kolok River bridge, and the Satun-Perlis road corridor.
Leaders of the three countries also launched a tourism promotion campaign, “Visit IMT-GT Year 2023-2025” under the concept of “Follow Your Dream”, echoing Asean tourism’s motto of “A Destination For Every Dream”. Read more at:
