THE PATTERN OF REGIONAL INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THAILAND : 1996-2005

Abstract

Thailand is successful in term of industrial promotion and per capita income. Currently, Thailand is the 3rd most attractive business location in Asia and the Pacific according to a transnational corporations (TNCs) survey. It shows the macro policies related to industrial promotion have been efficient since 1960s. Thai industries have entered a new period of rapid growth, as NICs in Asia. However, Thailand has a regional disparity problem, especially in term of industrial development. As a result of industrialization, economic growth has increased the primacy of the Bangkok Metropolis. This represents one of the most critical problems of economic structural imbalance in Thailand, which results in many other fundamental problems such as poverty, income inequality and regional development disparities.