SI-013-06 :
Cross-Border City Clusters &
ASEAN Gateway Cities

Situation

Thailand shares borders with multiple countries across mainland Southeast Asia, creating natural opportunities for cross-border economic integration. However, border cities and regions currently operate below their full potential due to:

• Limited infrastructure and logistics integration across borders

• Fragmented regulatory and customs systems

• Weak coordination between neighboring cities

• Underdeveloped cross-border economic zones

• Insufficient positioning of border cities as international gateways

As a result, border areas remain transit points rather than high-value economic zones, missing opportunities to capture trade, investment, and regional flows.

Shift

Regional development is shifting from nationally bounded cities → cross-border economic clusters.

Key transitions include:

• From border separation → cross-border integration

• From isolated trade points → multi-city economic zones

• From customs-based checkpoints → seamless economic corridors

• From national markets → regional production and distribution networks

Border cities are evolving into strategic gateways and integration nodes within regional economic systems.

Advantage

Thailand is uniquely positioned to become a Central ASEAN Gateway Network:

• Geographic connectivity to CLMV (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam) and Malaysia

• Strategic position along major regional economic corridors

• Strong infrastructure base relative to neighboring countries

• Established trade and logistics networks

• Cultural and economic linkages across borders

This enables Thailand to evolve into:

“A Network of ASEAN Gateway Cities & Cross-Border Economic Clusters”

Additional Structural Advantage

Thailand can develop a multi-layer cross-border integration system:

• Gateway City Layer → Key border cities as international entry points

• Cluster Layer → Cross-border economic zones linking paired cities

• Logistics Layer → Integrated transport, customs, and trade systems

• Industrial Layer → Cross-border supply chains and production networks

• Policy Layer → Harmonized regulations and bilateral/multilateral agreements

Supported by:

• Integration with economic corridors (SI-013-03)

• Alignment with regional trade frameworks

• Public–private collaboration for cross-border development

This creates a system where borders become connectors, not barriers.

Implication

Without cross-border cluster development:

• Border regions remain low-value transit zones

• Thailand loses opportunities in regional trade and investment

• Limited integration into ASEAN production networks

• Reduced competitiveness compared to regional peers

With strong cross-border city clusters:

• Thailand becomes a central node in ASEAN economic integration

• Border cities transform into high-value economic hubs

• Increased trade flows, investment, and industrial development

• Stronger geopolitical and economic positioning in the region

Action Layer