BANGKOK, Aug 29 (TNA) – China’s Zhengzhou Airport Economy
Zone (ZAEZ) signs an agreement to provide support for Thailand’s Eastern
Economic Corridor (EEC), particularly on aerotropolis development.
Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak witnessed the
memorandum of understanding (MoU) signing between ZAEC and the EEC executives at
a Bangkok hotel on Thursday.
EEC Office Secretary-general Kanit Sangsubhan said the
strategic partnership with the ZAEZ would not only promote joint investment in
the two economic zones but also support the EEC’s effort to develop aviation
economy.
While the EEC is an industrial complex-based government’s
flagship project, the ZAEZ is an airport-based economic zone in Zhengzhou which
integrates aviation, high-speed rail, an intercity railway, a subway and an
expressway as an “aerotropolis.”
The strategic cooperation with the ZAEZ would help the EEC
to develop its own “Eastern Aerotropolis,” Kanit said.
Under the current plan, the EEC will upgrade U-tapao Airport
and the 400-square-kilometer surrounding area of three eastern provinces to be
an aerotropolis. The third-largest
commercial airport in Thailand is expected to handle 60 million passengers in
20 years.
Kanit said the EEZ would learn from ZAEZ’s experience under
the MoU with the hope to begin the aerotropolis development in three years.
The MoU also covers cooperation on city planning, industrial
recruitment strategies, culture, tourism, research activities and trade
promotion. (TNA)
