Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn chaired a meeting to prepare for the Cabinet's traveling session in Songkhla from 31 August to 1 September, gathering project proposals from the five southern border provinces aimed at driving concrete regional development projects in the area.
On 9 August 2026 at 09:30, at Meeting Room 1, 5th floor, Songkhla Provincial Hall, Mueang Songkhla District, Songkhla Province. Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport. Presided over the preparatory meeting. For the first official offsite Cabinet meeting (Cabinet traveling session) of 2026. The meeting aimed to screen and prepare project proposal data as well as set guidelines and directions for developing the five southern border provinces before compiling and submitting them for Cabinet consideration.
Attending were Mr. Sanphet Boonyamanee, Deputy Minister of Transport; Mr. Worasit Liangprasit, Deputy Minister of Interior; Mr. Phasakorn Boonlakham, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Interior; Mr. Sakra Kapilakarn, Deputy Chief Inspector of the Ministry of Interior; Second Lieutenant Trakool Thotham, Ministry of Interior Inspector, Region 5; Mr. Ratas Chidchu, Governor of Songkhla; Mr. Kanit Khongchuay, Governor of Satun; Mrs. Patimah Sadeyamu, Governor of Pattani; Mr. Kongsakol Chantharach, Governor of Yala; Mr. Boonchuay Homyamyen, Governor of Narathiwat; along with provincial executives, department heads, members of parliament, government agencies, private sector, local administrative organizations, and related agencies.
This meeting’s key goal was to prepare and screen project proposals from all five provinces (Songkhla, Satun, Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat). To ensure the data is complete, clear, and reflects the real problems, needs, and potential of each area, focusing on urgent, feasible projects that provide tangible benefits to the people. It also provided an opportunity for provinces to present policy proposals and large-scale development projects so the government can directly understand local issues and needs, set appropriate support measures, and integrate cooperation among central, regional, local government, private sector, and communities in a unified direction.
Mr. Phasakorn Boonlakham, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, said that this preparation before the Cabinet traveling session is a crucial step to ensure that project proposals from provinces are of high quality. The data must truly reflect the people's problems and needs, with clear details and supporting information explaining the necessity, suitability, expected outcomes, and concrete benefits of the projects, so each province's proposal is ready for presentation and Cabinet consideration.
Mr. Phiphat said that Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul assigned him to supervise and monitor government operations in the southern provinces cluster to prepare for the Cabinet traveling session in Songkhla, including following up on budget support to resolve recent flood problems. This meeting is an important platform to hear local needs directly and turn those proposals into government policies that can be practically implemented, focusing on projects aligned with local potential, meeting people's needs, creating jobs and income, and stimulating the economy in the five southern border provinces. The meeting was open to policy proposals and large projects without budget limits, to be compiled and reviewed with central agencies before finalizing proposals for the Cabinet meeting.
Mr. Phiphat also emphasized the importance of integrated work among central agencies, regional offices, and local administrative organizations, as well as cooperation with the private sector and communities, to ensure development moves in one direction, reduces redundancy, and maximizes public resource use. Provincial governors, as government representatives in their areas, must be responsible for driving and clearly communicating proposals so their regions can fully seize development opportunities with the government.
. Mr. Ratas Chidchu, Governor of Songkhla, presented five projects totaling 395.5 million baht. These projects aim to address people’s problems and needs, develop infrastructure and economic activities, and align with economic, trade, investment, tourism, transportation, and cross-border connectivity potentials. Examples include the Creative Culture Project to promote the Songkhla Lake Basin heritage as a World Heritage Site and construction of a bank protection system along the Bang Dan canal.
. Satun Province proposed 18 projects totaling 209 million baht. Focusing on infrastructure development, dredging waterways and improving ports, tourism development, construction of embankments, and an international convention hall. Policy proposals include opening a Satun-Penang-Langkawi shipping route, developing Koh Lipe for high-value tourism, connecting Songkhla-Satun transportation networks, and upgrading Satun as an economic and tourism hub on the Andaman coast.
Yala Province proposed six projects totaling 265 million baht. Focusing on infrastructure improvements such as renovating the Jaro sports stadium, dredging water catchment areas, upgrading Sirot Road, constructing embankments and water systems in Betong municipality, as well as promoting tourism, border trade, and activating Betong Airport to enhance transportation and investment capabilities.
Pattani Province proposed six projects totaling 7.683 billion baht. Aiming to elevate the province as a southern border logistics hub, covering water, land, and rail transport; dredging Pattani waterways; developing road networks; water management and early warning systems; and rail and logistics infrastructure to connect Malaysia and Indonesia.
Narathiwat Province proposed nine policy projects totaling over 404 million baht. Focusing on infrastructure, transportation systems, and water management, such as expanding Highway 4096 to four lanes, building bridges over the Golok and Bang Nara Rivers, developing roads according to city plans, expanding Highway 42, flood prevention and mitigation in the Yatong basin, improving water drainage and storage, and addressing floods in lower Sai Buri River areas to enhance economic, trade, investment, and cross-border connections alongside systematic flood management.
This meeting marks an important preparatory step before the first Cabinet traveling session of 2026, aiming to ensure proposals from the area receive thorough consideration from provincial to government levels, and to provide a platform for executives and relevant agencies to exchange information, opinions, and suggestions to refine project details for completeness, clarity, and readiness for Cabinet review.
The secretariat will summarize all project proposals from the five provinces along with key policy issues, compiling and submitting them to the Ministry of Interior by 14 August 2026. These will be further consolidated for a joint meeting with central agencies at Government House on 25 August 2026 before being presented at the official offsite Cabinet meeting scheduled from 31 August to 1 September 2026 in Songkhla.
At 13:00, the meeting will listen to proposals from local private sector and businesses, giving them a chance to voice problems, obstacles, needs, and suggestions related to trade, investment, tourism, services, logistics, and cross-border economic connectivity. They will also propose development paths to enhance competitiveness and create economic opportunities in the five southern border provinces. The information and proposals from the private sector will be incorporated into policy recommendations and government support plans to ensure development aligns with local potential and business needs, fostering job creation, income growth, investment stimulation, and regional economic advancement.