PM Yingluck promotes Thailand as ASEAN logistics hub

[webfact]

PM promotes Thailand as ASEAN logistics hub



BANGKOK, 28 October 2013 (NNT) – The Prime Minister is keen on pushing Thailand to become logistics hub of ASEAN region as Thailand holds geographical advantage over other countries.

During a seminar on future of Thai economy in ASEAN community, Prime Minister and Defense Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said Thailand has high possibility to become logistics hub of the region.

She said Thailand has the geographical advantage as it borders with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Malaysia.

She assured that if Thailand truly became ASEAN logistics hub, the country would get the maximum benefit from the government’s 2.2 trillion baht infrastructure development project.

She also mentioned about challenges ahead, saying Thailand will have to be faced with the world economic fluctuation, technological changes, and the changing trends.

However, the Premier assured that the government had already drawn up economic measures to cope with the forthcoming challenges.

-- NNT 2013-10-28

[Nickymaster]

Corruption will wipe out any advantage Thailand might have.

[draftvader]

Brilliant. Under logistics we can see the following titles:

Infrastructure including roads and rail

Communication infrastructure with redundancy

Management ability

So I guess this is a lot of hot air then?

[laurentbkk]

and here we go again with this hub non sense ..... Why politicians here really need Thailand to be a hub of something ....

[Dr Robert]

cogito ergo sum? or a different kind of logic?

[metisdead]

A profanity post removed already.

[Soi Sauce]

Love the swag bags in the picture. Surprised they're being so blatant about it, though.

"All roads and infrastructure lead to dollars for us," they seem to be saying.

Edited October 28, 2013 by Soi Sauce

[Nickymaster]

Are the bags with dollar signs representing the 30% corruption it will give the contractors and government officials?

[rheinwiese]

"She said Thailand has the geographical advantage as it borders with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Malaysia."

Ms PM, are you absolutely certain that Thailand shares borders with Vietnam??

[bigbamboo]

I think Ms. Shinawat is missing the point of an economic community. It is supposed to be a mutual society without leaders.

In terms of it's standing within ASEAN Thailand is distinctly a mid table team.

[DLock]

"She said Thailand has the geographical advantage as it borders with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Malaysia."

Ms PM, are you absolutely certain that Thailand shares borders with Vietnam??

Well spotted.

I admit I missed that.

But given Yinglucks past comments...I guess it's not surprising.

[Lingba]

First of all...here we go again with the distinction of another "Hub" added to the long list of other hubs...total BS...and now they want to promote themselves as a logistic hub???...are you serious?...Thailand can't even figure out their own internal logistical mess and they want to represent all of ASEAN in that area? Keep dreaming

[bigbamboo]

"She said Thailand has the geographical advantage as it borders with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Malaysia."

Ms PM, are you absolutely certain that Thailand shares borders with Vietnam??

I guess that would give Laos even stronger claims than Thailand as it also borders four ASEAN countries plus the motherland China as well.

[jaltsc]

"She said Thailand has the geographical advantage as it borders with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Malaysia"

Oh My!!! So many borders. So many opportunities for graft. Unfortunately for Thailand, some of those other countries have the advantage of educated populaces and thus a lot more to offer in ways of service and efficiency. Some of them even have a PM who knows how to read a map .

[gemini81]

"She said Thailand has the geographical advantage as it borders with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Malaysia."

Ms PM, are you absolutely certain that Thailand shares borders with Vietnam??

Well spotted.

I admit I missed that.

But given Yinglucks past comments...I guess it's not surprising.

Its actually groundbreaking progress: the closest she has come thus far to being accurate!!!!!!

[Pib]

Thailand as the ASEAN logistics hub? Well, if millions of small and overloaded pickup trucks running around carrying everything under the sun is considered efficient logistics, then Thailand is a shoe-in to be the ASEAN logistics hub.

[slapout]

With hearly half of Thailand being subject to flooding in any given year, air boats may be the way to move material out of the "HUB", wherever it is .

Singapore seems quite capable of handling the ocean freight side "HUB", but Thailand might just be the place to try out this type of transport system. Jet ski operators could relocate, upgrade their vehicles, to air boats with wheels built into them and your in business.

[LuckyLew]

Thailand will be left behind when this new zone starts

Other countries will have more to offer with less corruption

Thailand is going backwards away from Democracy

[nong38]

Please make sure you come in the new year to take advantage of our new heathcare scheme, just one of a number of schemes with you in mind, Thailand the Hub of Scams ( sorry I meant schemes).

[bubblegum]

I think a "Hub" is the correct term. A hub is like a 6 lane highway turning into a two way street while a "switch" is a super internet highway.

Maybe the Thai should learn a bit about computer terminology before opening their mouth.

[Soi Sauce]

Does anyone know that you cannot drive a foreign truck thru Thailand? Imagine that in Europe, S America, Africa, Canada, and the USA!

How then, can it be a hub?

Sorry forgot. That would mean Thai truckers getting violent.

[kimincm]

I support all criticism so far posted but surprised this was missed"However, the Premier assured that the government had already drawn up economic measures to cope with the forthcoming challenges."Nobody else finds this a bit of a stretch of the imagination.Current challenges are not being dealt with ,future challenges are not even on the table,the only future challenge at present, how to distribute 2trill baht with the Thai population getting the least advantage and value possible while their children and grandchildren are burdened by the debt.This is the hub of self serving,<deleted> the people politicians,try selling that concept to ASEAN I want to go on but my tiny mind is boggling,didn't Yingluck say that high speed trains would be able to deliver fresh veg to BKK quicker,I haven't noticed a problem with fresh veg,it's about the only thing they do well.That trains got to put the price of a cabbage up or I'm a hub of a hub of a hubbahubbahubba.

[Eddy B]

I am just getting on with my life here in Thailand and waiting to see what happens when ASEAN comes into force. It is going to be a nightmare but I like to to see bets placed, so lets come up with some odds on things going wrong for different reasons............open to all to give reasons :-)

[Ricardo]

What does a high-speed domestic passenger-railway have to do with ASEAN-logistics, which would be about efficiently moving freight, in ever-increasing volumes ?

OK, it sells well to the local voters, but surely an experienced business-leader like PM-Yingluck understands the difference ?

[robsamui]

Does anyone know that you cannot drive a foreign truck thru Thailand? Imagine that in Europe, S America, Africa, Canada, and the USA!

How then, can it be a hub?

Sorry forgot. That would mean Thai truckers getting violent.

Although it's lovely for the government of Thailand to bounce around squeaking happily with the idea of being a "HUB" - they're utterly overlooking that they can't just pose at being a "HUB" - this will also mean something in everyday practical terms - ie, Thailand actually being a participating nation in ASEA.

The above comment about road access brings this home immediately - all these kinds of laws and rulings will have to go.

And then there is the aspect of employment, with - one would suppose - a much greater freedom for potential employees to be able to seek work in Thailand. And doesn't that mean workers from HK, Singapore and Vietnam looking for employment here? And that leads on to predict that the Thai labour market with get into a real mess, with all these potential employees, who are able to read, write and speak proper English, in competition with their Thai counterparts?

I'm certain that very few of the Thai ruling class have thought all this through. For them it's a hike up in that wonderful thing, STATUS, but the reality of what this means in practice so so far down the queue as to have become dismissed, let alone pondered upon.

I've mentioned these aspects to several Thai friends, ranging from upper management down to shop owners and casual workers. The most educated response was "Don't worry, it's all going to work out fine!" - down to (several) " . . . ooh! Too serious for me!" ie, it looks like nobody in Thailand (at a shrewd guess) has a clue about what joining ASEA is going to mean, from the top people in government right down to the beggars on the street!

I hope I'm wrong. Does anyone out there disagree with my assumptions (as that is all they are . . .)? I'm happy to stand corrected!

R

Edited October 29, 2013 by robsamui

[Thai at Heart]

"She said Thailand has the geographical advantage as it borders with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Malaysia"

Oh My!!! So many borders. So many opportunities for graft. Unfortunately for Thailand, some of those other countries have the advantage of educated populaces and thus a lot more to offer in ways of service and efficiency. Some of them even have a PM who knows how to read a map .

Ah but, Burma will have a better port and no ASEAN country has Thai Customs and Excise to deal with.

Customs are so corrupt here, there is little to be said for it at all.

[casindonet]

After announcing this many hubs, I'm surprise that Thailand hasn't been the hub of the universe yet

[spidermike007]

Yingbat continues to hope, dream, aspire, and pretend. Sure, Thailand is a very dynamic country. But, it needs to spend what I estimate to be 100-400 billion baht just to reform the police department, acquire state of the art forensic equipment for in order to set up real crime labs, which is lacks to this day. Detectives must start training overseas and competence levels need to be brought up. In addition higher salaries need to be paid to law enforcement, in order to attract talent, and put a cop in a position where he does not have to suck the blood of society, in order to provide for his family. Much needs to be done, in order to bring the country into the 21st century. The country is well behind where it should be, considering the growth, and the kind of cash it has available. In addition, they need to spend a fortune to improve the electric grid, bring in true 4G nationwide service, and improve the internet speeds throughout the country. The judiciary is in dire need of reform, as the judges seem incapable of sentencing even the most heinous offenders. Does the term impotent come to mind? Thailand also needs to start obeying the aspects of the treaties it is signing, with its neighbors. It continues to ignore the 6th Asean Charter, which called for duty free exchange of alcohol within Asean, that went into effect January 1st, 2012. How much Bintang beer have you seen on the shelf lately? I could go on and on, and on. Anyway, as usual Yingbat is putting the horse in front of the cart.

[yoshiwara]

Thailand is the hub of promotions. All fur coat and no knickers.

[Thai at Heart]

Thailand is the hub of promotions. All fur coat and no knickers.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.

And let's move on.