Pm Promotes Thailand As Gateway To The Region

[Lite Beer]

PM promotes Thailand as gateway to the region

Pana Janviroj

The Nation on Sunday

DAVOS:-- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has sought to restore confidence in Thailand by pointing out that the Kingdom remains a good place for investment due to its status as a regional hub and gateway.

Yingluck gave her assurance while taking part in the 42nd World Economic Forum (WEF) here, on Friday (early yesterday Bangkok time) in a bid to regain the confidence of foreign leaders and investors. She affirmed that Thailand had prepared measures to prevent a repeat of last year's massive flood crisis, which caused widespread damage.

The Thai prime minister also said that women were a strong symbol of non-violence and would play important roles in bringing about political reconciliation in Thailand.

She cited Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, whom she recently met during an official visit to Burma, as a person with a passion for democracy and a global symbol of non-violence.

The Thai prime minister's vision of women in society and their role was in contrast to Facebook CEO Sheryl Sandberg, who called for the "ambition gap" between men and women to be closed. Yingluck said parents don't usually raise their daughters to be ambitious; female equality may have improved at work but not at home; and successful men were better liked, while successful females were less popular.

Yingluck and Sandberg were both in a WEF session on "Women as the Way Forward" along with Desmond Tutu, the retired South African archbishop; Michelle Bachelet, the head of UN Women, and Al Zain Talal, CEO of Bahrain Mumtalakat. The session was moderated by Nicholas Kristof from The New York Times.

Yingluck took the podium to deliver her opening remarks in Thai with simultaneous translation but answered questions from the floor in English. She underscored the importance of education and access to finance for women when asked by a Korean member of the audience if there was a policy to stop sex tourism in Thailand.

"No women will want to hurt themselves - if we give them the opportunity to better themselves," Yingluck said.

In her opening remarks, Yingluck said that as a woman, she was proud to be Thai, as she had a chance to receive an education, run a company and become the first female prime minister.

She called for an end to women's inequity and violence in society. She said women had positive features that could better society - such as attention to details and good understanding, and attention to children and youth. Women also had the ability to save, and made a greater financial contribution to the raising of families.

Speaking to hundreds at the international WEF audience, Yingluck said that her government had set up a fund to support women and to promote universal education for girls.

Tutu said support for women in society was an obvious necessity given all the positive attributes they give to society. It was a solution to the world's problems. Women, he said, had compassion, gentleness and caring.

Yingluck said that women, when they get the chance to become leaders, make positive contributions to society.

The Thai PM also participated in a discussion with business leaders and CEOs on "Public-Private Interaction on Thailand" - to seek ways to develop the country's economic potential, plus its policy on water management and long-term reform measures.

The prime minister invited WEF members to attend an East Asia meeting in Bangkok, which will be held on May 31-June 1. The forum's theme is "Shaping the Region's Future through Connectivity".

On Friday night, Yingluck hosted a "Thailand Night" for participants at the Davos forum. The event was well attended, by more than 600 guests, most of them global corporate leaders who braved the cold weather and many other competing events. It featured Thai food, a fashion show, muay Thai boxing and classical Thai dances.

The prime minister assured guests that the Thai government was on top of the flood problem and that the country was back in business as a premier investment hub in the region.

The event was well attended by Thai corporate leaders, with the chief executives of PTT, Thai Airways, Bangkok Bank and Thai Beverage attending. Both the foreign and finance ministers joined the event and foreign guests stayed late into the night.

-- The Nation 2012-01-29

[pimay11]

"She affirmed that Thailand had prepared measures to prevent a repeat of last year's massive flood crisis, which caused widespread damage".

Would she like to share those measures with the Thai populace?

[KeyserSoze01]

Great, just when I was getting used to Thailand be the hub of all things in Asia, they decide to be a gateway.

[noitom]

We have "measures" , everything is under control, we are reshuffling now as we speak, Thailand remains a "hub", we have been removed from the terrorist alert on the US embassy web site, Chinese tourists are coming back in droves, we have declared "friendship" with Palestine and now recognize them, we have no fight with muslims and they promised not to do any bombs in Thailand, there are only 5,000 plus deaths in the insurrection in the muslim south, our Arab community controlling the Soi 3 area right near Bumrungrad Hospital is very happy with our progress, and we have great airport security , just ask our PAD leaders.

For all these reasons, you should see Thailand as a fabulous place to invest. There are no swindles, no corruption, virtually no crime that goes unsolved. Why just today we announced the capture of a never before reported story of an Indian currency trader being robbed of 50 million baht. Our English press is fair and objective and provides comprehensive detailed news and opinion. They follow up on every story and check facts meticulously. You may have read also that I have just appointed a US "blacklisted" business woman to Office Minister. She has only "facilitated" illegal gem, banking, and real estate deals with the Zimbabwe government and not actually "engaged" in these transactions. Everyone in the room loves Robert Mugabe right?

And rest assured, our former PM my older brother, who was removed by a military coup and who is on the run outside Thailand from charges of fraud and securities manipulation, is still pulling the strings on whatever issue we make an announcement about. The military promises that there will be no coup, and therefore, I will see you all in Davos again next year and wish you all good luck with your investments in Thailand.

[Bakseedaa]

What the heck is going on .... comparing Yinluck with Ann Suu Kyi is like comparing Stalin with Mahatma Gandhi...... when will the spin doctors give it up..!!! One of the gentlest and most dignified ladies in politics anywhere in the world, with the sister of Satan.... come on.... lets bring reality into this equasion....

[z12]

yingluck the clone delivers speech in thai dubbed by male voice.

http://www.weforum.o...al-meeting-2012

Edited January 29, 2012 by z12

[softgeorge]

Why would you invest your money in Thailand when you have to give 51% of your company away to Thai's? Just doesn't make sense, you provide 100% of the capital and you can only own a 49% share. I think you would be better off investing your money in ice and selling it to eskimo's. She must of been laughed out of the forum.

Edited January 29, 2012 by softgeorge

[MaiChai]

Why would you invest your money in Thailand when you have to give 51% of your company away to Thai's? Just doesn't make sense, you provide 100% of the capital and you can only own a 49% share. I think you would be better off investing your money in ice and selling it to eskimo's. She must of been laughed out of the forum.

You don't if you are a big company and get BOI approval. Otherwise, Honda, Mitsubishi, Toyota, etc would not be here

Thailand can be the gateway to the Shinawatra Empire... May the force be with the dark lord...

Edited January 29, 2012 by MaiChai