PM Yingluck's Japan Visit Aims To Restore Investors' Faith

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THAI-JAPANESE TIES

PM's Japan visit aims to restore investors' faith

Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will lead a high-profile roadshow to Japan early next month to try to restore investor confidence following last year's devastating flood in Thailand, which hit Japanese operations especially hard, a Government House source said yesterday.

During her official visit to Japan from March 6-9, she will be joined by mostly economic ministers, such as Finance Minister Kittiratt Na Ranong, Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom, Industry Minister Pongsawat Svasti, Information and Communication Technology Minister Anudith Nakornthap and Deputy Transport Minister Chutchart Sithiphan. Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul will also go along.

The Board of Investment (BoI) would take a delegation of business leaders on the trip, according to the source.

According to the tentative itinerary for her three days in Tokyo, Yingluck will be granted an audience with Japanese Emperor Akihito at the Imperial Palace and as his guest will stay at the Akasaka Palace, which functions as the official residence for visiting state dignitaries.

She is also scheduled to lead the Thai mission in a discussion with the Japanese side led by her Japanese counterpart.

Later, Yingluck would travel to the city of Sendai in northeastern Japan, which was nearly wiped out by the strong earthquake and tsunami in March of last year. There, she will meet with Thai workers at a factory and offer moral support to affected residents. She will also give an interview to Japanese television and radio broadcaster NHK.

Yingluck will meet with Japanese business leaders, including Shosaku Yasui, chairman of Japan Finance Corporation and the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. She will get together with many other senior Japanese executives and businessmen, including those in the tourism industry.

The prime minister will take part in a business seminar organised by the BoI, a discussion between Thai and Japanese private sectors and a luncheon hosted by the powerful Japan Federation of Economic Organisations, or Keidanren.

Yingluck will be accompanied by her nine-year-old son Supasek Amornchat, according to the source.

The prime minister's brother, ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, plans to visit South Korea at about the same time, from March 6-7, according to his spokesman Noppadon Pattama.

Thaksin was invited as a former prime minister along with ex-leaders from more than 10 countries, including Malaysia, Japan, Italy and the Netherlands, said Noppadon, who is also Thaksin's legal adviser.

On March 6, Thaksin will join a panel discussion with six ex-leaders on the subject "Leadership Roles in Countries Hit by Economic Crisis". He would also give interviews on his roles while serving as prime minister, Noppadon said.

Thaksin's trip is unrelated to Yingluck's visit to South Korea - set for March 24 to 26, he said. Her aim there will be the same - to restore investor confidence in Thailand.

-- The Nation 2012-02-28

[Siripon]

The government needs to make it clear about its policy for wages. The dispute yesterday between Padermchai, the Minister for Labour and disgruntled workers from a jewellery company who had their welfare benefits slashed as a result of the incoming 300 baht a day wage scheme.

Many companies employ sales staff who are only on 200 baht a day salary but make up the most of their income from commission. If they're forced to increase the salary by 100 baht a day they may try to cut the commission, a move which will hardly inspire motivation! I won't be surprised to see layoffs in this scenario.

[Soupdragon]

On March 6, Thaksin will join a panel discussion with six ex-leaders on the subject "Leadership Roles in Countries Hit by Economic Crisis". He would also give interviews on his roles while serving as prime minister, Noppadon said.

Would that be past and present.

[sparebox2]

Japan was an aggressor in Thailand during WW2.

I wonder why Thailand have to beg for their investment.

[Unkomoncents]

Ahhhh, poor Yingluck: always relegated to the unfortunate role of official Thai government cheerleader. She's going on a "roadshow" to "restore confidence". Again. The roadshow bit is hilarious. The confidence restoring equally so, as I'm sure there are no un-doctored growth figures the Thai government could show to make the Japanese feel confident in Thailand as a good bet for future investment. This means Yingluck will TELL everyone how great Thailand is and how there definitely probably WON'T be ANY problems in the future. The Thai government's conception of it's own persuasive effectiveness never ceases to amaze me. It has to be one of the most willfully ignorant governments in the modern world (up there with North Korea). I love how this article explains that Yingluck will meet with her Japanese "counterpart" on her road show. That would mean she, as the Prime Minister of Thailand, will meet Japan's Prime Minister. That is highly unlikely. As Davos showed, major players in the international community have little time for Yingluck and Thailand's charades.

[Orac]

Japan was an aggressor in Thailand during WW2.

I wonder why Thailand have to beg for their investment.

Same reason as Germany is bailing out various Eurozone countries - they aren't living in the past like some.

[Tanaka]

Japan was an aggressor in Thailand during WW2.

I wonder why Thailand have to beg for their investment.

Because that was almost sixty years ago? And some things have changed in the world since then but maybe you have not noticed.

Yingluck brings her nine-year-old child with her on an official visit to another country paid for by the citizens of Thailand. And she intends to give moral support to people who suffered from the tsunami. I am sure they will feel thattheir lives have improved so much after that. I am also sure that the Japanese will be impressed by her performance and speeches there and everyone will want to invest in Thailand. And if that is not enough, she has several of her competent ministers to clear the facts. That they will not say the same things is irrelevant to them, they wont understand anyway. They call it a roadshow. Appropriate.