Dr. Chula Sukmanop, Secretary-General of the Eastern Economic Corridor Office (EECO), revealed that the EECO hosted a market sounding seminar for the core infrastructure and public utility development project under the EEC Business Center and Smart Livable City Project (EECiti) in late July. The event attracted over 100 participants, including leading Thai and international investors, infrastructure and real estate developers, financial institutions, and relevant agencies. Attendees expressed confidence in the potential of the EECiti project and showed strong interest in participating through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP).

EECO will incorporate the feedback and recommendations gathered from this seminar to refine the project details and Preparation of RFP documents within the scheduled timeframe. This will ensure a PPP framework that meets the needs of both the public and private sectors, aligns with investor requirements, and prepares for the official selection process of private co-investors targeted for 2028.

“EECO firmly believes that sound project design begins with listening from prospective investors themselves. This Market Sounding event was organized to provide an open platform for all stakeholders to exchange views on development approaches, investment models, structures, privileges, and suggestions that will make the project viable, appropriate, and effective in attracting investment.
This event marks the beginning of a partnership among the public sector, private sector, investors, and all stakeholders in driving EECiti toward becoming a benchmark future city for Thailand,” Dr. Chula stated.

During the Hearing Session of the seminar, the EECO provided opportunities for attendees to ask questions and share feedback regarding investment structures, risk allocation, project management approaches, and key decision-making factors. The event also featured Investment Networking activities connecting public authorities, private companies, and financial institutions. Valuable insights from the session highlighted key recommendations, including phasing utility development to match business area growth over time, attracting investors and residents to generate demand in tandem with infrastructure and utility deployment, considering financial support models and investment facilitation measures, and developing eco-friendly public utilities while taking into account connectivity with surrounding areas and local communities. The EECO will utilize these valuable insights to refine the EECiti project to better serve investor expectations ahead of the next Market Sounding seminar.