The cabinet has acknowledged a proposal to develop infrastructure projects during 2019-23 in 14 southern provinces worth a combined 500 billion baht, assigning the National Economic and Social Development Board and the Transport Ministry to prioritise them.
Nathporn Chatusripitak, spokesman for Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, said the cabinet has initially agreed on the projects proposed by the private sector and expects them to be part of a five-year development plan starting from 2019.
The projects include a motorway from Chalung industrial estate in Hat Yai district to Padang Besar and Dan Nok in Songkhla's Sadao district.
Also among the projects is one to widen Phet Kasem Road, which leads to 14 southern provinces, from two to four lanes, as well as a plan to extend the road to Satun province and even to Malaysia's Perlis state.
The plan also covers a double-track railway from Chumphon to Songkhla's Hat Yai district, from Narathiwat to Hat Yai and from Surat Thani to Phangnga.
In addition, the plan entails the maintenance of Songkhla's deep-sea port and the development of the second phase of the port. In order to support tourism industry in the region, the plan covers cruise ship ports in Krabi and Surat Thani provinces as well as dredging work for ports in Trang and Ranong.
Regarding aviation, the cabinet has agreed in principle to develop airports in Phangnga and Yala provinces, as well as to expand runways and passenger terminals in Narathiwat.
Mr Nathporn said the overall infrastructure development projects covered by the plan are expected to boost tourism in the South.
As a result, the cabinet acknowledged the guideline to develop tourism in the 14 southern provinces, covering the development of Phuket smart city project, mass transit in Phuket and overall tourism development in the Andaman coastal provinces.
The southern region's development plans also include agricultural projects to lend support to major commodities grown mostly in the region, such as rubber and palm oil, including a project to develop special economic zones to accommodate more rubber and palm-related industries and help absorb production.
In other business, the cabinet yesterday approved a proposal of the Interior Ministry to spend some of the 150-billion-baht budget set aside for local administrative offices.
The budget is expected to be disbursed for various projects to help generate more income for local communities.
The Finance Ministry's Budget Bureau is due to draw up guidelines on how to properly spend the 150 billion baht before disbursement.