12 years on, Halal food industry project in Pattani still remains unrealised

Since the project’s inception 12 years ago, the one-stop service centre at the Halal food industrial estate in Pattani is yet to start functioning although the building of the centre was completed several years ago. 

          So far, the one-stop service centre is inoperational and not a single company has invested in the 173-rai industrial estate in Panareh district.  This should not be surprising given the fact that the facility was twice torched by suspected militants causing damages to the main auditorium and the production building.  During the construction period, suspected militants tried to disrupt the project by attacking the facility as well as its staff.

          The apparent lack of progress about the project has prompted Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan to pay a visit to Pattani on March 19 during which he was given a briefing about problems related to the project.

          Three problems were cited for the delay of the project, according to Mr Ardae Woha, the kamnan of Tambon Nam Bo, Panareh district.  He outlined the problems as follows: owners of the land for the industrial estate are yet to be paid by the government; frequent change of governments resulting to lack of continuity of the project and unrest situation.

          During the visit to the industrial estate, General Prawit asked officials who turned out to welcome him why the industrial estate was set up first before the road leading to the estate was built.

          General Prawit, however, assured the officials, religious leaders and the residents of Pattani that the one-stop service at the industrial estate would definitely become operational pretty soon.

          Regarding the payments for the land at the industrial estate, Pattani deputy governor Luechai Charoensap said that the cabinet recently decided to set aside a fund for the landowners.

          The deputy prime minister assigned the Internal Security Operations Command’s branch office in the far south to coordinate with the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre to push for the development of the Halal food industry.

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Caption : General Prawit Wongsuwan visited the industrial estate in Panareh district of Pattani.