Border Business Tourism Model: TAK Special Economic Development Zone

Abstract

  This paper aimed to study the Special Economic Development Zone (SEZ) prioritized by the national development policy. Location on the northwestern border of Thailand, Tak Province has been assigned to be one of the primary SEZs where trade value of 68 million baht was yielded the in 2015 and its business growth of 34.84 percent was proclaimed by the increasing number of visitors in 2016. Tak Province is situated in an appropriate location functioning as the junction of the East-West Economic Corridor, however; business enterprises in Tak Province still lack diversity. This paper focused on the way to expand business values in tourism industry, tourist attractions, merchandise and services in the areas of 200 kilometers around Tak Province where a two-day-one-night trip can be organized within the distance of 200 kilometers around Tak Province. Moreover, encouragement of tourism during the low travelling seasons need to be handled in every area in order to escalate cash flows and to underpin the government fiscal policy of tax payment deduction to enhance tourism promotion. Strengthened by Border Business Tourism (BBTM) management, the income rate in Tak SEZ is expected to increase by at least five percent yearly at the beginning, and it will rise to 10 percent in 2021. Most important, achievement of BBTM management in Tak SEZ would inspire the other nine SEZs and create steady economy prosperity to the country.