Senior government officials, as well as logistics and transport experts underscored the value of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) as a driver of economic transformation in a press conference at the Southeast Asia Center on March 18, 2021 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Hosted by the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), Mekong Institute (MI), E-Commerce and Logistics ASEAN Association, Bangkok Post, and with support from the Pattaya City Government, the Economic Eastern Corridor, GMS-FRETA, and the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand, officials in the press conference introduced the GMS Logistics Forum, which will put forward opportunities and progress in improving the efficiency of logistics and transport processes on March 24 to 26, 2021 in Amari Pattaya.
Mr. Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, TCEB President, explained that the Forum aims to foster broader public-private support for initiatives such as Thailand 4.0, particularly Thailand’s Logistics and Infrastructure campaign, to bridge deeper integration and collective growth among countries in the GMS and beyond.
“Strategic efforts must be initiated to maximize the potentials of the EEC and deepen the interconnectedness among GMS countries to increase our competitiveness in trade, innovation, and business strategies,” he said.
Beginning in 1980, the EEC has been the centerpiece of Thailand’s mission towards a value-based and innovation-driven economy. Lauded as the Prime Gateway to Asia, the EEC is primed as the centrum of innovation, advanced technology, investment, comprehensive infrastructure, and skilled workforce.
Mr. Suriyan Vichitlekarn, MI Executive Director, stated that the Forum will open avenues for expert knowledge sharing and partnership building among government, business, and private sectors. He added that policy discussions, targeted solutions, and practical approaches will be highlighted across the Forum’s four activities to help make more efficient the movement of goods, services, and products between and among countries.
At the Business Forum, prime movers will present prevailing logistics and infrastructure initiatives and investment opportunities in the EEC, including practical measures to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 in the sector. A business networking and matching session and product exhibition will follow for service providers and enterprises to exchange insights and link networks to induce lucrative investments.
At the end of the Forum, a visit to EEC facilities will also be arranged to showcase technological advances and country-specific best practices in economic corridor management.
Other high-level supporters of the event such as Mr. Chalat Wongsanguan, Chairman, GMS-Freight Transport; Mr. Voravuth Mala, Special Advisor, Eastern Economic Corridor Office of Thailand; Mr. Stefan van der Sluys, Chairman, JFCCT International Trade Committee, and Mr. Adul Chotinisakorn, Advisor to the Economic Corridor Project, TCEB; Mr. Rattanachai Suthidechanai, Advisor to Mayor of Pattaya City; and Ms. Sirima Limviriyaleart, Senior Executive Vice President, Bangkok Post Company, Limited also attended the press conference.
The GMS Logistics Forum will be livestreamed on FaceBook at mekonginstitute.org on March 25, 2021. For more information, please visit https://logisticsgms.com/forum and www.mekonginstitute.org.
