Thailand hopes IMT-GT can be widened to include Terengganu, Pahang

Thailand hopes the Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) can be widened to include Pahang and Terengganu in order to improve economic growth via trade between the southern part of Thailand and the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

The Secretary-General of the Thailand Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre Supanat Sirintawineti said although the IMT-GT was introduced about 12 years ago, trade between both these regions were not encouraging.

"If the area under IMT-GT is expanded to include Terengganu and Pahang, I am confident trade will start to pick up especially along the border areas of Thailand and Malaysia," he aid.

Speaking to reporters, through an interpreter, when met at a dinner organised by the Thai Royal Consulate last night, Supanat said the centre held a meeting with Malaysian representatives in August to discuss the matter further.

He said the meeting also discussed the expansion of the existing bridge in Sungai Golok and Rantau Panjang and the construction of a new bridge to link Pekan Tak Bai and Pengkalan Kubor in Tumpat.

IMT-GT consist of 14 provinces in Southern Thailand namely, Krabi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Narathiwat, Pattani, Phattalung, Satun, Songkhla, Trang, Yala, Chumphon, Ranong, Surat Thani, Phang Nga and Phuket.

Meanwhile, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pulau Pinang, Perak, Perlis and Selangor are the eight northern states from Malaysia involved in the growth triangle.

On the other hand, 10 provinces in Sumatera namely Aceh, Bangka-Belitung, Bengkulu, Jambi, Lampung, North Sumatera, South Sumatera, West Sumatera, Riau and the Riau Islands are involved in IMT-GT which is home to 54 million people in 32 of these three countries' less-developed states and provinces.

-- BERNAMA