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Book published by Chulalongkorn University Press. This monograph deals specifically with the emergence and characteristics of special border zones in Thailand and how they are able to deal with the range of situations that exist along the country’s borders. It brings together practical tools and experiences surrounding Thailand’s border area development. Its emphasis is on new directions being adopted to drive economic growth and social development in those regions that could otherwise lag behind the rapid growth of agglomerations near major international gateways. It provides the basic tools and methodologies required to adequately evaluate and plan the location, coverage, incentives and financing for border development areas. In so doing, it emphasizes practical issues needed to implement special border development zones in ways that ensure that the choice of projects, programs and institutions designated for the border areas are based on international best practices.

Coverage: Part I, on the characterization of border economic zones (BEZs), lays out their foundation, definition and coverage, and it explains how they compare with conventional special economic zones (SEZs) that are more geographically focused and limited in their design objectives. Part II, on the strategic framework, describes the objectives of special border zones based on new strategic directions being established by the Royal Thai Government to address existing and emerging challenges to border development. Part III, on implementation, provides a detailed, step-by-step guide to site identification and appraisal, implementation, progress monitoring, and impact evaluation.