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Special Economic Zones and Local Economic Activities: Evidence from Nightlight Analysis in Thailand

Wannaphong Durongkaveroj & NILAPHY PHOMMACHANH

Asian Economic Papers2026https://doi.org/10.1162/asep.a.955article
AJG 1ABDC B
Weight
0.50

Abstract

Over the past few decades, special economic zones (SEZs) have become a widely used industrial policy tool to promote local economic development and drive structural transformation. However, evidence on the effects of SEZs in developing countries remains limited. This study examines the causal effect of SEZs established in Thailand in 2015, using nightlight satellite data as a proxy for annual economic activity from 2012 to 2020. Using the difference-in-differences estimation, the results suggest that the establishment of SEZs led to a statistically significant decline in the economic activity in the provinces where SEZs were established. Additionally, the results from the event study approach indicate a sustained negative impact of SEZ establishment, with the effect remaining statistically significant for several years. These findings suggest that policymakers should consider revamping SEZ policies to achieve more effective developmental outcomes.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1162/asep.a.955

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@article{wannaphong2026,
  title        = {{Special Economic Zones and Local Economic Activities: Evidence from Nightlight Analysis in Thailand}},
  author       = {Wannaphong Durongkaveroj & NILAPHY PHOMMACHANH},
  journal      = {Asian Economic Papers},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1162/asep.a.955},
}

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Special Economic Zones and Local Economic Activities: Evidence from Nightlight Analysis in Thailand

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Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.