Comparative borderland developments in Thailand

Interest in the development of Asian cross-border zones has burgeoned since the late 1980s and early 1990s after the Cold War period. Thailand and its neighbours are developing economic relationships that naturally started with their respective borderlands. Responding to these possibilities, Thai government agencies, often in conjunction with bilateral or multilateral agencies, designed a number of projects at the Thai border zones with Laos and Malaysia. In spite of similar potential and government investments, these border zones have evolved quite differently. Nongkhai, bordering Laos, the selected government centre, has not fared well, while Sadao, bordering Malaysia, has flourished. The data from this research point to several key factors that have influenced the divergent paths.