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The Indonesia–Malaysia–Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) started as an early attempt at economic liberalisation & integration in ASEAN. It was formally endorsed by Indonesia's President Suharto, Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and Thailand's Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai in 1993.
The Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) subregional program aims to stimulate economic development in 32 of these three countries’ less-developed states and provinces, which are home to over 54 million people.
The IMT-GT consists of:
- 14 provinces in southern Thailand: Krabi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Narathiwat, Pattani, Phattalung, Satun, Songkhla, Trang, Yala, Chumphon, Ranong, Surat Thani, Phang Nga, and Phuket;
- 8 northern states of Peninsular Malaysia: Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Perak, Perlis, and Selangor; and
- 10 provinces of Sumatra, Indonesia: Aceh, Bangka-Belitung, Bengkulu, Jambi, Lampung, North Sumatra, Riau, Riau Islands, South Sumatra, and West Sumatra.
The Asian Development Bank subsequently undertook a detailed feasibility study & formulated the framework for co-operation. The study concluded that the IMT-GT had great potential to stimulate cross-border economic integration in 6 priority areas, namely: Infrastructure Development; Agriculture & Fisheries; Trade; Tourism; Human Resource Development; and Professional Services.
