ASEAN goals to spice up intra-regional commerce by means of higher transport connectivity | USAEMALL.com

TAPPING EACH OTHER’S STRENGTHS

Thailand has said it is on board when it comes to improving connectivity between countries.

For instance, it is expanding to a double track rail network. 

It is also pushing to build a land bridge in southern Thailand that connects the Andaman Sea with the Thai Gulf.

The flagship project, scheduled to be ready by 2028, aims to create a new international trade route and shorten travel time for vessels, said Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit. 

There is currently “a lot of congestion” in the Malacca Straits, he noted. “We foresee that in the future, a lot of shipping lines will have to wait and queue. But if there is a land bridge, it can (be used as an alternative).”

But infrastructure alone is not enough, industry players noted.

“The key question now is, can they get it (to be) seamless, can they get it (to be) affordable?” said Westports’ executive chairman Ruben Emir Gnanalingam, who runs the largest listed port operator in Malaysia.

“Because otherwise you can’t market it, you can’t promote it as an option, because it’s going to cost you more.”

Experts told CNA that Southeast Asian countries must get their act together so they can benefit from economic integration.

“When you look at ASEAN member states, yes, they are unified. Yes, (there is) ASEAN centrality. But they’re often competing with each other,” said Mr Chris Humphrey, executive director of the Singapore-based EU-ASEAN Business Council. 

“They’re competing with each other for FDI (foreign direct investment) flows. They’re competing with each other for trade. We need to make sure that rather than competing, we do play to each other’s strengths.”