BANGKOK, May 26 (Xinhua) -- "Highly-potential" foreign universities and educational institutions are now allowed to open branches in Thailand to develop the country's Eastern Economic Corridor(EEC), the Royal Gazette released on Friday.
In his capacity as chairman of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha delivered a directive on Friday for "highly-potential" foreign universities and educational institutions to be legally allowed to open branches in Thailand with intent to educate personnel who will be particularly employed under EEC and other development projects in this country.
At the order of the NCPO chairman, effective on Friday, the minister of education will chair a committee in charge of educational management with respect to those foreign universities.
The minister of education will also chair a committee of no more than six members appointed by him, which will filter out unqualified foreign educational institutions, submit lists and even "reach agreements with educational institutions for the minister to consider."
The EEC, covering some 13,285 square km of three eastern seaboard provinces of Chachoengsao, Chonburi and Rayong, is put forward earlier by Thai government to attract investment in high-value added industries such as the next-generation automotive, intelligent electronics, biotechnology, biofuels, aviation, among others.
