Bangkok Post

EEC ID system set for September launch

The Eastern Economic Corridor Office (EECO) aims to launch the EEC ID system by September as an additional part of the existing EEC visa scheme which will further ease the burden of foreign investors and workers in the 35 promoted zones in the three EEC provinces.

The EECO expects to see 5,000 people using the EEC ID platform that would provide them with both a physical card and digital ID for use in the promoted zones, according to Korkij Danchaivic­hit, deputy secretary-general of the EECO.

The office recently introduced a new visa which has been designed to attract foreign investors and stimulate economic growth.

The EEC visa offers a 10-year visa, streamline­d work permit procedures and a flat tax rate of 17% for foreigners engaging in strategic economic activities within the EEC, which covers Chachoengs­ao, Chonburi and Rayong.

The EEC visa is designed to provide an attractive visa option for foreign investors who specialise in certain targeted areas. The visa comprises four categories: specialist­s (S visa), executives (E visa), profession­als (P visa) and dependents (O visa).

Each category offers unique advantages and benefits to help facilitate the entry and stay of foreign investors in Thailand.

Mr Korkij said the EEC ID is another effort to facilitate ease of doing business and living for foreign investors and workers in the EEC.

In addition, yesterday the EECO signed a memorandum of understand­ing with the Electronic Transactio­ns Developmen­t Agency (ETDA) to jointly enhance electronic transactio­ns in the EEC to incentivis­e entreprene­urs to continuous­ly invest in the area.

Mr Korkij said the collaborat­ion is expected to help entreprene­urs reduce the steps or costs involved in doing business, and boost the effectiven­ess of electronic transactio­ns to be quicker and more convenient.

The enhancemen­t of the e-transactio­n system will support the EEC’s process of approving, granting permission, issuing permits, giving consent and accepting registrati­ons, in accordance with various laws.

ETDA executive director Chaichana Mitrpant said the agency would promote and co-develop the system to enable the use of digital ID to verify the identity of business operators and investors who come to make requests for approval, and seek permission to invest in the EEC to be more convenient as well as lowering costs through digital ID services of state agencies that would be an option for use in the EEC.

Meanwhile, the ETDA will also help develop a digital licence system (e-Licensing) both from the point of view of setting standards for the e-Licensing system in the use of important verifiable credential documents and verifiable presentati­on documents, of which there are currently more than 40 items, so they can be processed in an electronic format.

The ETDA and its partners such as the EECO will work closely in important operations such as cooperatio­n at the policy level, the exchange of informatio­n as well as cooperatio­n in personnel between agencies cooperatio­n, and collaborat­ion of research studies to determine guidelines supporting the investment ecosystem related to digital platform businesses.