Thai PM affirms progress of Eastern Economic Corridor of Innovation

Commendable strides have been achieved in the first five years of the Eastern Economic Corridor of Innovation (EECi), said Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. He said intense innovation and research activity outlined the success of this endeavour.

PM Prayut, alongside Interior Minister, Anupong Paojinda, Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office, and Labour Minister, Suchart Chomklin embarked on a trip yesterday, scrutinising the progress of the EECi. Their journey took them to Wangchan Valley, located in the Wang Chan district of Rayong.

EECi, a project administered under the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), aims to cultivate an environment conducive to sparking innovations. These innovations are then utilised in ten industries pinpointed at a national level. EECi’s hub is nestled within Wangchan Valley, which consists of an Intelligent Operation Centre (IOC), Innovative Agriculture Smart Greenhouse, and Smart Manufacturing Centre (SMC). The Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology (Vistec) also forms part of the Valley.

In alignment with the country’s celebration of Industry 4.0, SMC and IOC have been established to primarily target entrepreneurs, developers, researchers, and students. The Thai Prime Minister initiated his visit to these development centres, reported Bangkok Post.

The 69 year old prime minister subsequently turned his attention to Vistec to explore its efforts towards environmental conservation, which includes its net zero carbon emissions commitment. This environmental pursuit is in synchrony with the government’s resolution to curtail emissions by an impressive 20%, leveraging a novel national energy strategy to achieve net zero emissions between 2065-2070.

A source from Government House reported that the prime minister expressed his admiration for how the EECi has served not only domestic development but also been instrumental in cultivating many researchers. These researchers are expected to bolster this objective in the forthcoming future. The systematic operations powering the EECi have also received the PM’s approval, and he projected his expectation that these elevated standards would persist. PM Prayut said…

“I am pleased with the progress achieved within the first five years of EECi’s existence, as well as its ecological responsibility. I eagerly await our future developments.”

He also suggested that the centre’s innovation should be advanced and globalised across various sectors and encouraged the planting of 158 recently approved crop species.

This visit marked the first visit to Rayong since his split from the United Thai Nation (UTN) Party back in July. When pressed about this, he dismissed the query, asserting that the trip was “not about politics.”