Commerce Ministry to boost econ in 5 southernmost provinces

PATTANI, 16 June 2010 (NNT) – The Ministry of Commerce and related private sector will help boost trade in the five southernmost provinces after the local economy has been negatively affected by the continuous unrest instigation.

Speaking after inaugurating the project to develop the local economy, Commerce Minister Pornthiva Nakasai promised that the authorities would try their best to promote and develop trade and economy in the five southern border provinces that are impacted from unrest instigation.

The five southernmost provinces are Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, Songkhla, and Satun. Trade and investment in the local areas have been rocky due to restless insurgency in the areas.

Ms Pornthiva elaborated that the ministry would help strengthen the local economy to be able to stand by its own and seek more opportunities from both domestic and international markets. Some of the targeted industries are Muslim fashion products and Halal food.

Apart from the export sector, the minister also mentioned that stimulation of border trade with the neighboring country of Malaysia would be made to create jobs and betterment of the locals residing in the five southernmost provinces.

Thailand-Malaysia border trade last year stood at 387 billion THB, which accounted for about 60% of the total border trades of the country.

Ms Pornthiva added that her ministry would try to boost border trade with neighboring countries up to 1 trillion THB within 2012.