Representatives of Thai and Japanese
public and private sectors met recently to ease obstacles to business
operations between the two countries under the Japan-Thailand Economic
Partnership Agreement.
The Secretary-General of the Office of
the Board of Investment (BOI), Mrs. Atchaka Sibunruang, said that, during the
meeting, BOI and the Industrial Estates Authority of Thailand had explained the
Thai government’s assistance measures to stimulate investment following the
flood crisis in 2011, when Thailand suffered a great loss.
She stated that Thailand and Japan had
worked closely together to tackle investment problems and that Thailand had
received a positive response from Japan, even when it faced severe floods in
late 2011.
Mrs. Atchaka also revealed results of a
survey on confidence of foreign investors in Thailand in 2012. The survey was conducted
among more than 400 business people investing in Thailand, together with
in-depth interviews.
The survey shows that most foreign
investors, at 65 percent, still maintained their investment levels in Thailand,
while another 31.6 percent are planning to expand their businesses here in
2012. One of the reasons is that they are satisfied with promotional privileges
offered by BOI. Thailand is also attractive because it has sufficient
infrastructure and a skilled and cost-effective labor force.
When compared with other nations, such
as its neighbors, China, and India, Thailand has an edge over other countries,
as it is located at the center of Southeast Asia. Foreign investors are
confident in doing business here because of specific reasons, such as strong
government support.
In her speech at the recent American
Chamber of Commerce gala dinner in Bangkok, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra
said that Thailand is planning major investment projects in this region, such
as flood prevention programs and a high-speed train system.
Although several sectors were concerned
about possible floods in the 2012 rainy season, the Prime Minister reaffirmed
that the Government had worked hard to prevent the kind of
natural-disaster-related damage that worried the business sector. In the
short-term plan, the Government established a single command center to manage
water and help prevent the flooding situation.
As for a long-term plan, the Government
is now working on water management projects, open to both Thai and international
firms. The Prime Minister added that Thailand’s strategic position can turn the
country into the main door to trade and investment markets from the world to
the ASEAN region.
(thailand.prd.go.th)
