Thailand moves forward to become ASEAN bio-hub

BANGKOK, April 29 (TNA) - The Thai government, through the Ministry of Industry, is moving the Kingdom forward to become a bio-hub in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) over the next decade as targeted. Deputy Industry Minister Somchai Harnhiran told journalists on April 28 that his ministry is proceeding with the move to quickly materialize expanding bio-hub investment plans in three more Thai provinces, including Chachoengsao, Ubon Ratchathani and Lopburi, worth about 94 billion baht totally. Somchai said that the move followed the Thai Cabinet's acknowledgement and endorsement on April 24 of his ministry's progress in the official operation as part of the government's measures on the development of the Thai bio-industry 2018-2027 and the expanding bio-investment plans in the three Thai provinces, as proposed by the private sector and reported by his ministry. Somchai stated that the progress as part of the government's measures include his ministry's moves to eliminate barriers but create more positive factors to the expanding bio-investment plans, including those through the revision of rules and regulations, which have already helped draw in an overall investment fund of about 9.74 billion baht to the Thai bio-industry so far. The deputy minister mentioned that the 9.74 billion-baht investment plans have been located in areas covered by Thailand's Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), while those launched in Nakhon Sawan Province in the Lower Thai North, overall worth about 41 billion baht additionally, are expected to concretely implemented by 2021. According to the deputy minister, two expanding bio-investment plans by the private sector, totally worth about 65 billion baht, in Chachoengsao will also be part of Thailand's EEC Project, including a new industrial estate for the production of bio-fuel and bio-chemical products and a new Asian bio-hub project for the production or the operation of bio energy, bio refinery, pharmaceutical & cosmetics, food & feed for future, social enterprise and tourism, as well as a research and development (R&D) innovation center. Besides, the deputy minister cited as another example, a bio-complex project will be developed in the central Lopburi Province, worth about 32 billion baht, where innovative high technologies will be adopted by private investors to produce processed farm products and renewable energy, namely bio-fertilizers, bio-gas and bio-mass fuels and to operate modern farms. (TNA)