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By Kornkarun Cheewatrakoolpong

Thailand has been actively involved in the GMS programme since its creation. While intraregional trade has increased substantially, there are concerns about how the programme fits with the ASEAN, ASEAN-China and other triangular initiatives, as well as the slow implementation of some of the main initiatives. This paper therefore examines the importance, involvement, influence, impact and interest of various group of Thai stakeholders in GMS regional integration, focusing in particular on trade facilitation initiatives, i.e., the GMS Economic Corridors and the Cross-Border Transport Agreement (CBTA). Coordination problems exist among the various stakeholders. The main problems come from ineffective communication between the central and provincial government agencies as well as a lack of two-way communication channels between government and border communities. Other problems impeding the implementation of Economic Corridors and CBTA are inconsistency in government policies, political instability, and resistance among people in the affected areas and civil society organizations.

By Kornkarun Cheewatrakoolpong
Thailand has been actively involved in the GMS programme since its creation. While intraregional trade has increased substantially, there are concerns about how the programme fits with the ASEAN, ASEAN-China and other triangular initiatives, as well as the slow implementation of some of the main initiatives. This paper therefore examines the importance, involvement, influence, impact and interest of
various group of Thai stakeholders in GMS regional integration, focusing in particular on trade facilitation initiatives, i.e., the GMS Economic Corridors and the Cross-Border Transport Agreement (CBTA). Coordination problems exist among the various stakeholders. The main problems come from ineffective communication between the central and provincial government agencies as well as a lack of two-way communication channels between government and border communities. Other problems impeding the implementation of Economic Corridors and CBTA are inconsistency in government policies, political
instability, and resistance among people in the affected areas and civil society organizations.

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