In the Mekong Region, the Asian Development Bank and partners have promoted economic corridors as a way to achieve regional economic integration and growth. This study evaluates how a transboundary policy narrative of shared prosperity around the East–West Economic Corridor programme emerged, and then how it was elaborated and used, taking a set of border policies of the government of Thailand as cases. For two decades the shared prosperity narrative has been used by a coalition of elite actors to support a programme of investments in road infrastructure, as well as to push for agreements on trade, border logistics, investment and tourism. The shared prosperity narrative has helped maintain support for the programme despite its failures to meet projections and expectations. Although criticised by civil society and experts from time to time, no coherent shared counter‐narrative emerged. Policy elites in Thailand have used the transboundary narrative to justify investments in special economic zones, and transport infrastructure near the border and inside neighbouring countries. Thailand has also reproduced the narrative in support of efforts to bolster tourism cooperation, and negotiate cross‐border trade and logistics agreements. Roads and bridges have been built, underlining how discursive practices have material consequences and reinforce the narrative.

中文翻译：

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通往共同繁荣的道路：为区域经济一体化制定的跨境政策叙述的阐述和影响

在湄公河地区，亚洲开发银行及其合作伙伴促进了经济走廊发展，以实现区域经济一体化和增长。这项研究以泰国政府的一系列边境政策为例，评估了围绕东西方经济走廊计划的共同繁荣的跨界政策叙事如何产生，然后如何加以阐述和运用。二十年来，精英行动者联盟一直使用共同的繁荣叙事来支持道路基础设施投资计划，并推动就贸易，边境物流，投资和旅游业达成协议。该共同繁荣尽管该方案未能达到预期目标和期望，但其叙事帮助其维持了对该方案的支持。尽管不时受到民间社会和专家的批评，但并没有出现连贯一致的反叙述。泰国的政策精英们使用跨界叙事来证明对经济特区，边界附近和邻国内部的运输基础设施进行投资的合理性。泰国还复制了叙述内容，以支持加强旅游合作，谈判跨境贸易和物流协议的努力。修建了道路和桥梁，突显了话语习俗如何产生实质性后果并加强了叙述。