Spatial structures of manufacturing clusters in Thailand, Cambodia and Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Abstract

Applying the method proposed by Mori and Smith (2014), we identify the spatial structure of manufacturing clusters in Thailand, Cambodia and Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR). We find that the industries in which clusters are spread across the country (i.e. the industries that exhibit a globally dispersed and locally dense or locally sparse pattern) are similar among the three countries. In contrast, the industries in which clusters are spread across a narrower geographical area, such as a manufacturing belt (i.e. the industries that exhibit a globally confined and locally dense or locally sparse pattern) differ among them. In Thailand, they are mainly machinery and material industries, while in Cambodia and Lao PDR, they are light industries. This difference reflects the fact that the spatial structure of manufacturing clusters are determined not only by the characteristics of industries but also by the country’s stage of industrial development.