Thai region ready for cluster development

Written 23.08.2004 11:04 by Boris Doesborg Print Send article

During a cluster road show led by the Office of the National Competitiveness Committee mid August , Thai north eastern province Nong Khai showed its readiness to encourage cluster development.

Nong Khai makes part of the Greater Mekong region that includes parts of China, Laos, Vietnam, Burma and Cambodia.

Various industry sectors were being identified for development: tourism, fashion, agriculture and logistics. Among the selected companies were villages offering accommodation to tourists along the Mekong River, and a producer and supplier of tomato paste. Each enterprise is collaborating with others in its sector to reduce costs.

During the roadshow the tomato paste company presented an integration platform for tomato plantation projects to facilitate linkages between state agencies and farmers in terms of capital resources as well as research and marketing support. The plan aims at increasing the production to meet the high demand for tomato paste in the the US and Europe.

A representative of tourist accommodation projects said Nong Khai can now serve as many as 1,000 tourists at accommodations along the Mekong River, after the development of pilot village. This type of tourism could also be linked with broader tourism in the area and in Laos.

Source The Nation