Permanent Secretary of Interior Ministry Discusses Southern Gulf Coast Regional Development Proposal Before Cabinet Mobile Meeting in Songkhla
Thailand's interior ministry is preparing development proposals for five southern Gulf coast provinces ahead of a cabinet mobile meeting scheduled for June 8-9 in Songkhla, which will focus on disaster management and regional infrastructure
Permanent Secretary of Interior Ministry Discusses Southern Gulf Coast Regional Development Proposal Before Cabinet Mobile Meeting in Songkhla, Emphasizing Coordination and Linkages Among Provincial Groups to Maximize Public Benefits. On May 14, 2025, at the Ministry of Interior, Arthit Sampatharatana, Permanent Secretary of the Interior Ministry, chaired a meeting to prepare development proposals for the southern Gulf coast regional group (Songkhla, Surat Thani, Chumphon, Nakhon Si Thammarat, and Phatthalung) and the southern border provincial group, with multiple senior government officials participating alongside provincial governors who joined via online systems.
Artthit stated that Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul conceived the idea during his recent visit managing flood situations in Hat Yai district, Songkhla in late 2024, proposing the first formal cabinet mobile meeting (cabinet on the move) in Songkhla province. The meeting aims to allow the cabinet, government agencies, and private sector to jointly propose development plans for the southern Gulf coast region, particularly drawing lessons from the flood disaster management in Hat Yai and strengthening early warning systems and disaster management capabilities, while also ensuring comprehensive basic infrastructure development that benefits the public most effectively, with proposals and projects coordinated across the provincial group.
Artthit further explained that the Ministry of Interior is collaborating with the National Economic and Social Development Council, the Government Secretariat's Office, and the Budget Bureau to prepare for the first cabinet mobile meeting in 2025, scheduled for June 8-9 in Songkhla province, by conducting an integrated development meeting for the southern Gulf coast regional group via online systems with governors of five provinces: Songkhla, Surat Thani, Chumphon, Nakhon Si Thammarat, and Phatthalung, along with relevant network partners from government, local administrations, academics, private sector, and civil society, to present development agendas to the cabinet meeting.
Artthit noted that following this preparatory meeting, the National Economic and Social Development Council, Budget Bureau, and Interior Ministry will conduct field reviews to refine and strengthen project proposals before an integrated public-private sector meeting for southern Gulf coast development, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, who oversees the region, at Government House. Subsequently, on June 8, there will be coordination meetings with provincial governors and private sector representatives in the southern Gulf coast regional area.
