Industries Follow PM Yingluck To Japan For 'Matching'

THAI-JAPANESE TIES

Industries follow PM to Japan for 'matching'

Petchanet Pratruangkrai

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Key industries will conduct business matching with Japan during the three-day official visit of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to strengthen cooperation with their counterparts in that country.

Yingluck left for Japan yesterday. Industries participating in the business matching include automobiles and parts, electronics, electrical appliances, food, tourism, petrochemicals, construction and retailing. After a meeting yesterday of the joint standing committee comprising the Federation of Thai Industries, the Board of Trade of Thailand and the Thai Bankers Association, FTI chairman Payungsak Chartsuthipol said entrepreneurs were looking forward to closer cooperation between the two countries.

"The official visit of the prime minister will help boost confidence for Japanese investors. They are looking forward to a clear explanation on the Thai government's short- and long-term measures to prevent floods so that they will invest more in the country," Payungsak said.

After Yingluck visits Japan, Payungsak expects that the government will help boost other foreign investors' confidence.

Yingluck is scheduled to lead a group of businesspeople to South Korea from March 20-25, and to China from April 17-18.

In addition, the joint committee will propose that the government support the development of the southern economy during the upcoming mobile Cabinet and the meeting of the joint public-private standing committee in Phuket on March 19 and 20.

The proposals included a plan to support the building of Pak Bara deep-sea port in Satun, construction of a dual-track railway to link Surat Thani and Phang Nga, and the expansion of the road system linking Phuket, Krabi, Trang and Satun.

The committee has also agreed to set up two panels, one to coordinate development of the financial system after the country was blacklisted by the Financial Action Taskforce on Money Laundering, and one to revamp legislation to increase Thai business competitiveness for Asean integration.

Moreover, the committee has asked for the government's support to increase efficiency of both skilled and unskilled labourers in accordance with the plan to raise wages next month.Vichai Assarasakorn, secretary-general of the Board of Trade, said many industries would soon face higher production costs and tougher competition after raising pay for workers.

Enterprises are willing to pay higher wages. However, the government should have clearer measures to help boost competency of workers,he added.

-- The Nation 2012-03-07