SI-013-03 :
Economic Corridors &
Intercity Connectivity Integration

Situation

Thailand has invested significantly in transportation infrastructure, including highways, rail systems, ports, and airports. However, these assets are still not fully integrated into a cohesive national connectivity system.

Key issues include:

• Fragmented infrastructure planning across modes (road, rail, air, sea)

• Weak intercity connectivity between regional nodes

• Inefficient logistics flows and bottlenecks in key corridors

• Limited cross-border integration with neighboring countries

• Lack of alignment between infrastructure and economic cluster development

As a result, infrastructure exists—but does not yet function as a high-efficiency economic network.

Shift

Global development is shifting from standalone infrastructure → integrated economic corridors.

Key transitions include:

• From point-to-point connectivity → corridor-based development

• From transport infrastructure → multi-layer economic systems (logistics + industry + urbanization)

• From national focus → cross-border regional integration

• From passive infrastructure → actively managed economic flows

Corridors are becoming the backbone of regional economies, linking cities, industries, and markets into a unified system.

Advantage

Thailand is uniquely positioned to become a Central Connectivity Hub of Mainland ASEAN:

• Strategic geographic location connecting China, CLMV, and Malaysia/Singapore

• Existing transport infrastructure with expansion potential

• Alignment with Land Bridge and regional logistics strategies (SI-007, SI-008)

• Strong potential to connect regional power nodes (SI-013-02)

This enables Thailand to evolve into:

“ASEAN’s Integrated Corridor Network Hub”

—not just a transit country, but a controller of economic flows.

Additional Structural Advantage

Thailand can build a multi-layer corridor system:

• Transport Layer → Highways, high-speed rail, ports, airports

• Logistics Layer → Warehousing, distribution centers, multimodal hubs

• Economic Layer → Industrial zones, agro-clusters, urban development along corridors

• Digital Layer → Smart logistics systems and real-time flow management (linked to SI-011)

• Cross-Border Layer → Integration with ASEAN corridors and trade routes

Supported by:

• Coordinated national planning

• Public–private investment

• Integration with regional and global supply chains

This creates corridors that are not just roads—but economic ecosystems.

Implication

Without corridor integration:

• Infrastructure remains underutilized and inefficient

• Regional nodes remain disconnected

• Logistics costs remain high

• Thailand loses competitiveness in regional trade

With integrated economic corridors:

• Seamless movement of goods, people, and services

• Strong linkage between cities, industries, and markets

• Enhanced regional and cross-border competitiveness

• Transformation into a regional logistics and economic hub

Action Layer