Thailand
Laos: Savannakhet Dry Port becomes international cargo checkpoints
A visit to the Savannakhet Special Economic Zone C – Savan Park and Savannakhet Dry Port by Deputy Prime Minister Dr Sonexay Siphandone and his delegation marks an important step in the development of the site to becoming an international checkpoints.
The visit was made to follow up the process of upgrading the Dry Port to international checkpoints under Prime Minister’s Decree No. 510.
The group was welcomed by the Governor of Savannakhet, Mr Santiphap Phomvihane; the Chief Executive Director of the SEZ, Mr Phanomkone Dararasmy; the General Manager of Savan Park, Mr Tee Chee Seng; CEO of Savan Logistics and Founder of the Savannakhet Dry Port, Mr Jean Pierre Grzelczyk; and other officials.
The delegation also had a meeting with representatives of the dry port and related officials in order to translate the details of the Prime Minister’s Order together for correct implementation by all sides.
During the meeting at the Savannakhet SEZ, Mr Tee Chee Seng said the development plan for Savannakhet Special Economic Zone C – Savan Park and logistics services in the
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| Dr Sonexay Siphandone hears about the development plan of the Savannakhet SEZ during a meeting at the site on Friday. |
Savannakhet SEZ would see the site become an international checkpoints for goods under the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) intergovernmental agreement on dry ports, to which Laos is a party and has ratified the agreement, as well as Prime Minister’s Order No. 510.
The area of the Savannakhet Dry Port is being developed by Savan Logistics with the United Nations Code for Trade and Transport Locations (UN/LOCODE) “LASAV”.
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| (From left) Mr Jean Pierre Grzelczyk and Mr Tee Chee Seng welcome Dr Sonexay Siphandone on November 11. |
Savan Dry Port has its own bonded road access, linking from the second Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge to the dry port over a distance of nearly 4 kilometres and is about 200 kilometres from the Dansavan international border checkpoint (Laos-Vietnam).
It is located on the East-West Economic Corridor, through National Road 9 in Savannakhet province.
It was the first Special Economic Zone to be built in Laos and the Savannakhet Dry Port was the first approved dry port to be acknowledged by UNESCAP.
The site is a model dry port and supports the Lao government’s policy to turn Laos from being landlocked to a land-link country as well as become a logistics hub.
Mr Tee Chee Seng said the dry port currently has containers with Lao flag logos that can ship goods to Hong Kong and other destinations such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, China and Myanmar.
The Savan Seno Special Economic (Savan Park Zone C) has been built on 234 hectares.
Former President Bounnhang Vorachit signed a ratification of the Savannakhet Dry Port to comply with UNESCAP requirements on October 16, 2019.
The Savan Seno Special Economic Zone is part of the Greater Mekong Sub-Region (GMS) development programme.
As of November 2022, a total of 193 companies are currently registered, while the value of investment has risen to over US$584 million.
The value of transit cargo at Savannakhet Dry Port in 2020 was US$6,855,500,323, rising to US$9,445,539,694 last year.
The value of imports and exports through the site reached US$9.5 billion in 2021, while the value of imports and exports from January to October this year amounted to nearly US$4.7 billion.
From January to September this year, Savannakhet SEZ authorities paid over 28 billion kip in taxes.
Savan Park is fully protected by Prime Minister’s Decree 177, which is dedicated to investment in the Savan Seno Special Economic Zone and was approved in 2003. As of today, the zone is still complying with this decree and investors are confident in it.
The Prime Minister’s Decree offers a 2-to10 year tax holiday, 8 percent or 10 percent company profit tax, 5 percent personal income tax, zero VAT, zero customs duty, and other incentives to businesses investing in the zone for a period of 75 years.
Source: https://www.vientianetimes.org.la/freeContent/FreeConten222_Savannakhet_y22.php