Khammuan develops industry zone on Vietnam border
Khammuan develops industry zone on Vietnam border
The Khammuan provincial Industry and Commerce Department plans to spend 15 billion kip to create an industry and trading zone in a bid to attract more investors.
Currently the land allocated for the zone has been surveyed and marked after provincial authorities gave approval to the project three years ago.
The provincial industry section's Deputy Head, Mr Khoun Seng-Aphone told Vientiane Times yesterday that limited funding was the reason the project has experienced some delays.
In 2012, the department received only 50 million kip to study the zone and 100 million kip in fiscal year 2013-2014 to survey and mark the land, said Mr Khoun.
The department currently needs more than 14 billion kip to clear the land, undertake road construction, install the water supply system and electricity lines as well as the administration office, he explained.
The zone will be divided into two parts, an industry zone and a trading zone, which combined will cover more than 500 hectares of land.
The Khammuan industrial zone is located in Bualapha district along Road No 12, only about 10km from the border with Vietnam, Mr Khoun said.
The area has good potential for trade and investment by both domestic and foreign investors, especially those from neighbouring Vietnam.
Almost all of Laos' export products to European markets travel through this route on their way to Vietnam's Vung Anh seaport. An oil and gas pipeline construction project running from Quang Binh's Hon La seaport to Khammuan province is also slated to run along this route.
T he department believes that this zone development will boost trading and investment within the province and contribute to socio-economic developm ent.
By comparison, Specific Economic Zone investment in Thakhek district, which is located near the third Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge linking Khammuan province in central Laos to Nakhon Phanom province in northeastern Thailand is booming.
Recently, companies from China, America, Singapore, Vietnam and Laos have started businesses in the zone. These are mostly factories, vehicle assembly plants, hotels, healthcare centres and tourism-related businesses.
Industry investment in the province has been expanding after the third friendship bridge opened in 2011, especially by Thai investors.
