Special Economic Zone plan for Trat province raises concerns of pollution, loss of coastal livelihoods
In 2015, the Government of Thailand launched a plan that designates 10 border provinces as “Special Economic Zones (SEZs)”. Trat, situated adjacent to Cambodia, is one of the 10. The border corridor already supports duty-free retail, crypto casinos on the Cambodian side, and cross-border freight operations. Specifically, Mairut together with Khlong Yai and Hat Lek sub-districts have been earmarked as the eastern SEZ.
Trat is more than just a border town of neighboring Cambodia. With 165 km of coastline along the Gulf of Thailand, and a vast expanse of mangrove forests, fisheries is one of its residents’ most important occupations.
Phurinat Chotiwan
