Social Science Asia, Volume 4 Number 4, p: 14-23 GEOPOLITICS TOWARDS THE BORBER OF THAILAND AND LAO PDR: A CASE STUDY OF MUKDAHAN – SAVANNAKHET SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE Prajuab Janmuean* Abstract The objective of this study was to present the geopolitics between the border of Thailand and Lao PDR in the special economic zone of Mukdahan, Thailand; and Savan-Seno, Lao PDR. This paper is a part of the Tourism Development Model towards Thai – Lao: Case Study of Nakhon Phanom-Khammouan-Mukdahan-Savannakhet-Seno Special Economic Zone. The Author used geopolitics as the main analyzed concept to indicate that to be a border town nowadays does not overshadow the government role. The role was changed to support capitalism in neoliberal globalization that necessarily affected the daily life of both Thai and Lao people. Keywords: geopolitics, border town, neoliberal globalization, daily life 1. INTRODUCTION After World War II, the changing Geopolitics was from a period of time in context of global society had changed the the West before the World War II. The significance of the borders of each country in concept focused on political power in Southeast Asia from a non-modified area to a relation to geographic space. The territory migrant workers area. Each state's role and border was important to the states to required the establishment of a supervisory spread their territory and protect it for their and mechanism system. But the other side security so that they did not see the dynamics was the process of opening a specific area to border areas between the states. The support international trade and investment as stereotypical view of the state boundary was examples of the emergence of special heavily criticized in the later period and the economic zones on the border of Thailand - geopolitical concept was significantly Burma-Laos- Cambodia-Vietnam. (Sommai reduced. Nevertheless, geopolitical ideas Chinnak, 2013: 63-65) were dusted again after the word When the special condition occurred, it ‘Globalization’ and ‘Neoliberalism’. As a is a condition that some groups called the result, the state and the capital work together exception that the state has the power to to produce a differentiated economic regulate and let the state and the capital act as propulsion system. (Jittipat Poonkham, 2017: 10) * Prajuab Janmuean is currently a lecturer of Public Administration Program, College of Laws and Government, Sisaket Rajabhat University, Thailand. 14 Official Journal of National Research Council of Thailand in conjunction with Community University Engagement Journal Social Science Asia, Volume 4 Number 4, p: 14-23 prescribed by law. (Piyabut Saengkanokkun, The author shows the geopolitics 2013: 84) In particular, the author would like between Mukdahan province of Thailand and to present the exception area in Thai-Lao Savannakhet district of Lao PDR since they special economic zone. At present, are the East-West Economic Corridor international geography has been modified to (EWEC) of Thailand and Lao PDR. The key facilitate trade, investment and traveling elements are: route. As in Lao PDR, modern technology 1. Factors that affect the emergence of from China has been drilled through the new geopolitics along the Thai-Lao Mekong mountain to create the Chinese-Lao railway River: This section presents The Greater to That Luang special economic zone, Mekong Sub-region Initiative and the results Vientiane, Lao PDR according to China’s of the previous action plan. It then presents One Belt One Road policy In addition, the the one belt one road policy of China and the Lao government has granted permission to special economic zones of Mukdahan, foreign investors in the various districts. As Thailand, and Savannakhet, Lao PDR. It will in the case on Savan-Seno special economic be concluded that these important factors zone, the Lao government gives Malaysian have created new geopolitics for the border investors authority to manage trade and provinces along the Mekong River especially investment in this special economic zone. Mukdahan province. From the effects of the economy in Lao 2. Characteristics of new geopolitics at PDR, the Thai government has responded to Mukdahan - Savannakhet border: This key the changes that occur in the region with a element will expand the section from the first plan to build two more Thai-Lao Friendship key element by offering the information on Bridges in the northeast of Thailand: the fifth trade and investment, capital movement, friendship bridge in the area of Bueng Kan- policy adjustment to facilitate investment, Bolikhamsai, and the sixth friendship bridge and Tourism development including the in the area of Ubon Ratchathani-Salavan. In state’s role adjustment to attract foreign addition, besides the bridges, the Thai investment in both Mukdahan and government also has a policy to develop a Savannakhet. This indicates the development double track railway to the Northeast. and impact of the Mukdahan Special Moreover, there is the development of the Economic Zone to reflect on the tourism road network in the Northeast that will be development in Mukdahan area. able to link the provinces along the Mekong 3. Conclusion: in his section, the author River from Loei, Nong Khai, Bung Kan, will propose that the Mukdahan special Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Amnat economic zone is not progressing as planned Charoen and Ubon Ratchathani. In other unlike the Savan-Seno special economic words, this creates a new geopolitics to drive zone with continuous development. the special economic zones in the Northeast, However, the author will conclude that the which the government announced that Nong context reflects that both Thailand and Lao Khai, Nakhon Phanom and Mukdahan PDR apply neoliberalism to maintain the provinces are special economic zones in centralized state administration without 2015. As a result, the provinces became the letting local governments and local people specific areas that allowed the capital system bargain to share their decision-making to move more conveniently. power. 15 Official Journal of National Research Council of Thailand in conjunction with Community University Engagement Journal Social Science Asia, Volume 4 Number 4, p: 14-23 2. FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE EMERGENCE OF NEW GEOPOLITICS ALONG THE THAI-LAO MEKONG RIVER The important factor that makes the provinces along Mekong River in the northeast of Thailand and districts in Lao PDR are more closely related to creating the economic cooperation, society, culture and Figure 1: Route of East-West Economic politics in many ways, and it becomes a new Corridor geopolitical area along Mekong River, which is the Greater Mekong Sup-region Initiative In addition, Geopolitics of Thai – Laos’s (GMS), a project initiated by the Asian border is caused by the economic policy of Development Bank (ADB). It is a program of China. In 2015, The Chinese government has technical assistance to develop networking announced a vision and guideline for driving between 6 countries, including China, Laos, the construction of the Silk Road and Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, Maritime Silk Road economic zones in the which was later known as the Greater 21st Century to strengthen cooperation in Mekong Subregion. transport and economic with Southeast Asia, As a result of the GMS program since South Asia, as well as, Europe and Africa. the 1990s, many projects have been From the concept, China has pioneered the underway; especially for the development of expansive diplomatic, development by its road infrastructure and international bridges. high-speed trains. By the end of January, The crossing of both people and goods is 2015, China's import and export banks had more than the past. At the end of 2009, there subsidized 13 billion dollars to the projects, were 44 projects worth 11 billion dollars. which are 35 projects that export supplies to These are budgeted by governments to invest build the railway outside the country. These in development. allocate budgets to connect with countries in In several projects occur. There is a accordance with the one belt one road project significant project that delivers high-impact of China. (Yi Yuan, 2008: 7) to countries. The Greater Mekong sub-region In Southeast Asia, Lao PDR is the economic corridor is a project that creates country that China invests and supports the land transport to link trade and investment development of infrastructure with greater between groups of countries. Almost every investment especially the development of route pass through Thailand: the first route is China-Laos railway. A joint development the North-South Economic Corridor that took place in October, 2016, in Lao PDR. An connects southern Yunnan and Southeast agreement was signed between the Ministry Asia, the second route is the East-West of Public Works and Transport of Lao PDR Economic Corridor that is from Vietnam and the Ambassador of China to Lao PDR in through Thailand to Burma, and the third order to build railway in Laos under the route is Southern Economic Corridor that supervision of a Chinese company. The connects Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. construction of the railroad is valued at 6 (Sommai Chinnak, 2013: 66-67) 16 Official Journal of National Research Council of Thailand in conjunction with Community University Engagement Journal Social Science Asia, Volume 4 Number 4, p: 14-23 billion dollars with a certain distance of 427 in special economic zones and link in the kilometers and expected to be completed in region effectively. 2021. The railway track is a size of 1.435 Those mentioned factors above have meters. There are 33 stations, 72 tunnels and changed the look of the border towns in the over 170 bridges required. Passenger trains past from a remote area with no facilities and run at 160 km/h while freight trains run at large investments to become the current 120 km/h. The railroad in Lao PDR will border town opposite from the past.