Thailand Among 'top Four Countries' For Japanese Investors

[ThaiGoon]

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/04/24...ss_30032506.php

Thailand among 'top four countries' for Japanese investors

Thailand remains one of the top four countries in which Japanese companies plan to invest in the next five to 10 years, reports the latest Japan External Trade Organisation survey.

Asked which markets they are planning to target in the next five to 10 years, China and India ranked highest among Japanese-affiliated manufacturers, followed by Thailand and Vietnam. The China market ranks highest in the electric- and electronic-parts category, while India tops the auto- and motorcycle-parts category.

The survey, conducted last November and December, covered Japanese-affiliated manufacturers in six Asean countries - Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam - as well as ones in China, Hong Kong, India, South Korea and Taiwan. It received valid responses from 1,332 companies.

[sonnyJ]

Come on, you obviously don't have that thai media stories, logical expectations, real story, realism, important stuff filter turned on. So please stop wasting the bytes. Thank you.

[scousemouse]

Come on, you obviously don't have that thai media stories, logical expectations, real story, realism, important stuff filter turned on. So please stop wasting the bytes. Thank you.

good call sonnyj

[ThaiGoon]

Come on, you obviously don't have that thai media stories, logical expectations, real story, realism, important stuff filter turned on. So please stop wasting the bytes. Thank you.

Thanks for this intelligent, well thoughtout and fair comment.

Edited April 24, 2007 by ThaiGoon

[ThaiGoon]

A report from FY2005 (not the one in the OP) shows that Thailand is the second biggest production base for Japanese companies (behind China, but ahead of the USA):

http://www.jetro.go.jp/en/stats/survey/surveys/fy2005.pdf (Look at page 4)

[dumspero]

Interesting post. Nice to see a dose of reality amidst the flurry of 'the sky is falling' posts.

But not surprising. Thailand remains basically stable and will do well in coming decades. Aftr all, despite the coup and the overdue overhaul of foreign investment laws, it's hard to see how Vietnam or even China won't have even more gut wrenching political evolutions as they cotninue to grow their economies.

[jumnien]

Thanks, Thaigoon, for flushing out the ignorant with aplomb!

[think_too_mut]

I just conducted a survey among 6 Japanese colleagues working on a large automotive site here in Japan. They know of their company's factory in Thai but it's more like a backup if something happens to relations with China rather than their main egg basket.

To be 4th on the list among countries where Japanese invest could mean to get 1% of what others get.

To my Japanese colleagues, in an open, lunch time, talk - Thailand is a place for cheap boom-boom and half price shark fin soup. They don't go to the beaches and can't stand (spicy) Thai food.

[ThaiGoon]

Cheers Dumspero and Mdeland.

[HarryHacker]

Anyone living/working in Bangkok can see that Japanese investment is very fluid right now.

BTW, I would like to thank TG for his posts of that.

[ThaiGoon]

Cheers Harry.

[shochu]

I can't verify this, but I believe another TV poster on another post had said that the Japanese investment in Thailand were their most profitable units overseas.

Also, Think Too NOt,

Could it be possible that the japanese are using LOS as a central base since the future major markets all surrond the region, and now co's are realizing that transport costs are beginning to make a difference in the bottom line with fuel costs expected to be tight for some time. As well, china is now at a crossroads with a tight market and many co's are finding it difficult to find workers. This situation will only get worse.

And, as I stated before, the japanese are planning to make LoS the detroit of asia.

As well, could it be possible, since you are living in Japan, a country where i also have spent much time living, that the Japanese actually share many common similarities in their cultural and social outlook on life, and thus it makes it not only a wise investment in terms of profit, but also in terms of cultural adjustments and overal well being in the workplace! What I mean by this is that it you look at the working traditions in these two countries, they share a similar outlook and way of thinking. For instance, althought the chinese and vietnamese may work more productively, the thai's are more sincere in terms of loyalty to working place, as are the japanese. They both share a similar religion, and a non confrontational attitude. Just a few things to think about - which you should have known - if you really live and work in japan.

AND - are you suggesting we give any credence to your impromtu survey as having any validity beyond the ususal lunchroom banter of philistines?

[think_too_mut]

What I mean by this is that it you look at the working traditions in these two countries (Thailand and Japan - TTM), they share a similar outlook and way of thinking.

Do you know which side of the world Japan is at?

[shochu]

Think Too Hard - wrote

Do you know which side of the world Japan is at?

:D

Edited April 24, 2007 by shochu

[shochu]

Thinking NOT Too Much,

Rather than taking things out of context - do try and respond to the full dialogue,

This way we can further the topic rather than responding to the gurgling of an infant...

[think_too_mut]

This way we can further the topic rather than responding to the gurgling of an infant...

OK, I'll stop responding.

[bernie66]

Sho chu, i hope the thai and the Japaneese have little in common. The Thai are very loving people and family interaction is 180 deg. from the Japaneese. The japaneese dont show affection at all less a grandfather playing with thier grandbabies. Ive seen this.After i brought my japaneese wife back to Oki she was so happy to see her mom she cried and hugged her.her mom asked her what those people had done to her and she let her know she didnt like to show emotion in this way. I walk up to my 80 year old thai mother in law give her a big wet kiss and a hug. Niether of us have ever been able to understand one single word between the two of us. All my thai brother and sister in laws play and love on each others children as if they were thier own. Japaneese dont even hug and kiss on thier own children. After living in Japan for 4 years and having a Japanese ex wife. I learned that their investments are nothing to get excited about. They could create jobs for the Thai but only dead end ones. Unskilled labor jobs as to give thier worker no leverage over work conditions or policies.A Thai could work for them for 30 years only to see advancement opportunities past to kids brought in from Tokyo with no experience. All managorial positions and good paying jobs will only be held by Japaneese.God help the Thai women that have to work for their business men. Even if they have an equal position to the other men at a meeting or dinner party they will be expected to serve them drinks and food. And if their attractive then their is a put out or get out policy that it very clear in modern Japan. And if you’re the secretary’s husband then you get to deal with her mental anguish of performing sex acts in between filing sessions to her bosses and upper management. Not knowing why your beautiful new wife is loosing her mind and wont tell you a thing about what’s going on is so much fun. In Japan work comes before family. I pray I got away from this by coming to Thailand. Any attempt by the Thai to seek compensation for an accosted secretary will be met by groups of companies packing together like wolves. Threatening wide spread layoffs until the problem is taken care of. The only people that will prosper are the Japanese and the Katoi.

[shochu]

bernie66,

I do not diasgree with some of the things you have said. In fact I have seen evidence of it. But you are at the same time speaking of a condition that was a part of Japan Inc. which is now - albeit slowly - changing. But let's be fair and say the same conditions exist in every environment and in any major company around the world. I have seen this same thing you have described. For example, the former chrysler CEO was very famous to be a womanizing sexist to the point of - at a major shareholder meeting, grabbing one of his exec's who also happen to be his lover (not wife - as she was at home) and telling everyone that he was off to get some exercise.

This is undoubtedly a product of a male dominated society and company culture. And I would like to point out that this sounds a little too personal and is a bit, if not a lot - off topic. I think as I have pointed out, anyone can make a situation or discussion to look good or bad. Having said that, and please do not think I am trying to patronize you, or belittle your past situation - I will also make an assumption that you are a westerner, and point out to you that a westerner marrying into a japanese family, and two japanese marrying are two completely different things. The japanese, as you should know are a very proud (like the thai's, or really any other race), if not too proud, of their heritage and thus can be indiferrent to outsiders to the point of being rude. I would also like to point out that if you are a westerner, I can point out in very good detail, what your relationship really was, but I won't go there since I do not want to hash up any past feelings for you. I will however make an inference by saying the "christmas cake" analogy is alive and very true. And again, like any people, around the world, there will be good people and bad people, close families and distant families.

My own grandfather was a very proud and rigid man who I always though him to be very cold and unfamily-like. As a child he always expected too much and I disliked him. Now I see him for what he was - a product of his time brought up in a culture where to show any emotion was a sign of weakenss.

Yes, the japanese companies are there to make a profit and will pull out if it is no longer profitable. But so would any other company. The main point of this discussion and what I wrote was that - The Thais and Japanese share some similarities - in that - they are more similar than what they (the japanese) would share with say the chinese or vietnamese.

You have to remember that japan and korea (and now china, and most of the countries in the region) went through some crazy times. They have both developed at breakneck paces and an obvious consequence of this is social upheavel, and family disintegration.

In closing, my original point was that japan could have chosen any number of other countries in the region (malaysia, vietnam, china, indonesia, india) yet they chose thailand - for some obvious reasons and also probably for the not so obvious reasons.

[shochu]

I want to add - when the CEO grabbed her - he through her over his shoulder likea war prize and proceeded to leave the room!

[jasreeve17]

Come on, you obviously don't have that thai media stories, logical expectations, real story, realism, important stuff filter turned on. So please stop wasting the bytes. Thank you.

Thanks for this intelligent, well thoughtout and fair comment.

Yes, indeed. Ignore all other signs because Thaigoon has just proved that all is looking bright for the future of Thailand.

[alexth]

Guess the survey has only been made early last year

[sonnyJ]

Well, we got few interesting pages about the japanese then.... and an american, but ,,,,,

[ThaiGoon]

Guess the survey has only been made early last year

Alex, if you could read, you would have found that it was conducted in November and December of last year.

And Jasreeve17, let me say this for the 1000th time so it might begin to register in your head. I just wanted to say that it's not all going downhill for Thailand as people like you want everyone to believe. I never intended to say that it's still all rosy. Anyone with even a tenth of a brain should be able to see that. That's my point.

[alexth]

Guess the survey has only been made early last year

Alex, if you could read, you would have found that it was conducted in November and December of last year.

And Jasreeve17, let me say this for the 1000th time so it might begin to register in your head. I just wanted to say that it's not all going downhill for Thailand as people like you want everyone to believe. I never intended to say that it's still all rosy. Anyone with even a tenth of a brain should be able to see that. That's my point.

Even thought that maybe you are one of those with "a tenth of a brain" while others have more?

[ThaiGoon]

Guess the survey has only been made early last year

Alex, if you could read, you would have found that it was conducted in November and December of last year.

And Jasreeve17, let me say this for the 1000th time so it might begin to register in your head. I just wanted to say that it's not all going downhill for Thailand as people like you want everyone to believe. I never intended to say that it's still all rosy. Anyone with even a tenth of a brain should be able to see that. That's my point.

Even thought that maybe you are one of those with "a tenth of a brain" while others have more?

I don't wanna say where I rated the brain of a guy who guessed that the survey was made early last year when it's already obviously reported in the OP plain and simple that it was done in Nov and Dec. ;-)

[bingobongo]

A report from FY2005 (not the one in the OP) shows that Thailand is the second biggest production base for Japanese companies (behind China, but ahead of the USA):

http://www.jetro.go.jp/en/stats/survey/surveys/fy2005.pdf (Look at page 4)

sorry there sparky, but this data is a year old and precoup, prebombing, and pre capital controls, so get back in your time machine and come back to the present...... so just to help ease you back to the present day, here is a more current synopsis as opposed to you presentation from March 2006....note the data April 22, 2007

Thailand to weigh new foreign business ownership rules

Board of Investment data show that the value of foreign investment applications, mainly from Japan, dropped by 23 percent in the first two months of this year from a year earlier.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/04/22/news/baht.php

Edited April 24, 2007 by bingobongo

[ThaiGoon]

A report from FY2005 (not the one in the OP) shows that Thailand is the second biggest production base for Japanese companies (behind China, but ahead of the USA):

http://www.jetro.go.jp/en/stats/survey/surveys/fy2005.pdf (Look at page 4)

sorry there sparky, but this data is a year old and precoup, prebombing, and pre capital controls, so get back in your time machine and come back to the present......

Please, bingo, try to read....I just had a similar conversation with Alex, the genius. And I myself even pointed out in the post you quoted that it's from FY2005 (not the one in the OP.) Please, bingo. Read and think please (if you can.) I beg you.

[ThaiGoon]

sorry there sparky, but this data is a year old and precoup, prebombing, and pre capital controls, so get back in your time machine and come back to the present...... so just to help ease you back to the present day, here is a more current synopsis as opposed to you presentation from March 2006....note the data April 22, 2007

Thailand to weigh new foreign business ownership rules

Board of Investment data show that the value of foreign investment applications, mainly from Japan, dropped by 23 percent in the first two months of this year from a year earlier.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/04/22/news/baht.php

The value of the investment might have dropped. But until you could come up with a publication that says Thailand has fallen out of the top four as a country for investment by Japanese companies, I don't see how the story in the OP could be proven to be false.

[alexth]

Guess the survey has only been made early last year

Alex, if you could read, you would have found that it was conducted in November and December of last year.

And Jasreeve17, let me say this for the 1000th time so it might begin to register in your head. I just wanted to say that it's not all going downhill for Thailand as people like you want everyone to believe. I never intended to say that it's still all rosy. Anyone with even a tenth of a brain should be able to see that. That's my point.

Even thought that maybe you are one of those with "a tenth of a brain" while others have more?

I don't wanna say where I rated the brain of a guy who guessed that the survey was made early last year when it's already obviously reported in the OP plain and simple that it was done in Nov and Dec. ;-)

Grab a dictionary and search for the term "reliability" . If still not convinced, try thinking twice before believing all that's written in the papers. When I first read "Snow White and the 7 dwarves" I found it pretty realistic, it even had pictures in it, took me a couple of months to figure out that it was all bullocks...

[bingobongo]

Guess the survey has only been made early last year

Alex, if you could read, you would have found that it was conducted in November and December of last year.

And Jasreeve17, let me say this for the 1000th time so it might begin to register in your head. I just wanted to say that it's not all going downhill for Thailand as people like you want everyone to believe. I never intended to say that it's still all rosy. Anyone with even a tenth of a brain should be able to see that. That's my point.

Even thought that maybe you are one of those with "a tenth of a brain" while others have more?

I don't wanna say where I rated the brain of a guy who guessed that the survey was made early last year when it's already obviously reported in the OP plain and simple that it was done in Nov and Dec. ;-)

Grab a dictionary and search for the term "reliability" . If still not convinced, try thinking twice before believing all that's written in the papers. When I first read "Snow White and the 7 dwarves" I found it pretty realistic, it even had pictures in it, took me a couple of months to figure out that it was all bullocks...

alexth, we all know that children clamour for attention, so like an obnoxious child, simply refuting Thaigoon with facts is enough, what Thaigoon does with the facts is his own business, no need to stoop to Thaigoon's alternate reality