Japan's envoy tells deputy PM he favours world trade HQ in Thailand

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TRADE & INVESTMENT
Japan's envoy tells deputy PM he favours world trade HQ in Thailand
Erich Parpart
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Japan is eyeing Thailand for use as a trade hub and is happy the Kingdom is changing its regulations to facilitate the setting up of an international trading headquarters in the country, according to a Thai deputy prime minister.

After a meeting yesterday with Shigekazu Sato, the Japanese ambassador to Thailand, Pridiyathorn Devakula said he had given the ambassador an update on the massive Dawei deep-sea port and industrial-estate project in Myanmar.

The deputy PM said he also told Sato that this country was in the process of upgrading its Regional Operating Headquarters into an international trading headquarters.

"The Japanese ambassador asked whether we were going to build an international trading headquarters here and I told him yes. We are going to do it because Thailand is a big manufacturing country that has expanded many production bases to various countries and we have numerous products to offer.

"But we've never had an international trading headquarters in the country because we have so many tax and non-tax regulations, which have to be amended to increase our competitiveness against Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia."

Pridiyathorn said the government would change those regulations to match neighbouring countries so large corporations set up trading headquarters in Thailand, which would increase cross-border trading activities and in turn generate more income for the country.

Pridiyathorn, a former Bank of Thailand governor, also serves as economic adviser to the military regime. He said his agency was working on proposals to change the regulations, which were expected to be complete in two weeks before being presented to the Cabinet. There were many regulations in various ministries to amend.

Regarding the Dawei project, he said it was entering the "full phase" of Phase 1 but Phase 2 had yet to begin because Thailand was waiting to hear back from Myanmar. Thailand had no objection to that and was willing to talk to Myanmar about the second phase.

He said Japan was ready to join the second phase after the first phase was done but it would be up to Myanmar to decide when talks on this began, because the project was in its territory.

In terms of government bonds, Pridiyathorn said the government was still compiling numbers and was waiting for the subcommittee handling the matter to figure out the total debt from the overthrown elected government's rice-pledging scheme before closing the account.

That was being done so the government knew how many bonds needed to be issued to cover the debt.

After the first day of the regime's own populist scheme of direct subsidies to farmers, Pridiyathorn said everything went smoothly. This was because the Interior and Agriculture and Cooperatives ministries had sent representatives to monitor the disbursements with local authorities to make sure the money got into the accounts of registered farmers.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Japans-envoy-tells-deputy-PM-he-favours-world-trad-30245901.html


-- The Nation 2014-10-21

[Fred Flinstone]

That should bring his rating up to 94%

[Fiddlesticks]

"The Japanese ambassador asked whether we were going to build an international trading headquarters here and I told him yes. We are going to do it because Thailand is a big manufacturing country

Applying the same logic Thailand should also build an international corruption headquarters and an international human trafficing headquarters. What a concept!

[NongKhaiKid]

' According to a Thai Deputy PM ' might just say it all. No quotes from the Japanese o far.

Surely a Thai official wouldn't make claims or issue comments on behalf of another country ?

[cloudhopper]

"That was being done so the government knew how many bonds needed to be issued to cover the debt."

When ignorant children run governments.

"World Trade HQ" is today's serving of hubris.

[chainarong]

This I have to see and to admit that there are too many taxes to compete with H.K. etc, is indeed acknowledgement that Thailand are not as competitive as they would like you to believe, Thailand needs to achieve many obstacles , one is political stability, until sovereign risk is much more reliable business will turn to other countries , especially if another coup happens between now and 2020.

[MilesofSmiles]

Thailand is a big manufacturing country that has expanded many production bases to various countries a

Is this true ?

[NeverSure]

Thailand is a big manufacturing country that has expanded many production bases to various countries a

Is this true ?

Of course it is. Thailand also makes Toyotas in Japan.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

^{"But we've never had an international trading headquarters in the country because we have so many tax and non-tax regulations, which have to be amended to increase our competitiveness against Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia."}

^{True words, last time my Thai wife imported materials from China she ended up paying total 41% in import duties incl. VAT, When she exported last time the consignment got stuck in the custom department at Suvarnabhum for 15 days! (still got no explanation from them why they check outgoing cargo and why it took 15 days) And they are dreaming about competing with Singapore and Hong Kong, just dream on!}

[Bluespunk]

Hilarious article.

Great way to start the day.

Thanks Nation, riotously funny, just brilliant comedy.

Is the author thinking of doing a stand up comedy tour and if so when are the dates and venues to be announced?

Truly they would be unmissable.

[casindonet]

' According to a Thai Deputy PM ' might just say it all. No quotes from the Japanese o far.

Surely a Thai official wouldn't make claims or issue comments on behalf of another country ?

I thought that job was taken by the PM (self appointed world leaders spoke person), now the DPM is also doing it?

[tonbridgebrit]

If the Japanese reckon that building a world trade HQ in Thailand is a good idea, well, they should build one in their own country.

Japan can't. Japan has always taken massive measures to protect it's own farmers, using huge tariffs to reduce imported agricultural products.

Yes, if you think it's a good idea, well, do it yourself then. And if you don't, well, stop telling others to do it.

[noitom]

The Thais never have direct quotes from another country's source. They always say he says with no quotes. The Thais have open and no closed quotes around things they said they said also. The Thais have no sense of truth and fact.

[tonbridgebrit]

The Thais never have direct quotes from another country's source. They always say he says with no quotes. The Thais have open and no closed quotes around things they said they said also. The Thais have no sense of truth and fact.

You might be right.

[selftaopath]

"The Japanese ambassador asked whether we were going to build an international trading headquarters here and I told him yes. We are going to do it because Thailand is a big manufacturing country

Applying the same logic Thailand should also build an international corruption headquarters and an international human trafficing headquarters. What a concept!

THAILAND!!! To be The Hub of the Universe.....

oh forgot it already is.

[waynethor]

' According to a Thai Deputy PM ' might just say it all. No quotes from the Japanese o far.

Surely a Thai official wouldn't make claims or issue comments on behalf of another country ?

Yes, the General and his buddies seem to be in the habit of putting their own words in other people's mouths. I'm afraid these guys are losing credibility day by day.

[Pii Kate]

My first reaction was, "oh, just like the Tour d' France is coming to Thailand".............

[NongKhaiKid]

' According to a Thai Deputy PM ' might just say it all. No quotes from the Japanese o far.

Surely a Thai official wouldn't make claims or issue comments on behalf of another country ?

Yes, the General and his buddies seem to be in the habit of putting their own words in other people's mouths. I'm afraid these guys are losing credibility day by day.

Thailand has a Diplomatic Service so there will be those who know that diplomatic protocol isn't being followed but due to the way things work here it's not really on to tell the boss(es) they are wrong and especially when they are senior military used to " Yes Sir, No Sir, Three Bags Full Sir. "

Thai diplomats also know that if other countries get fed up with unauthorised, unsubstantiated comments etc that issue it is they who get summoned to get an earful not those who make the remarks and it doesn't matter if the Thai spin is the diplomat just happened to be in the area of the relevant Foreign Ministry and decide to drop in to explain things.

Loose Lips Sink Ships and don't do much for international perception and reputation either

[klauskunkel]

Japanese Ambassador: "...World Trade HQ in Thailand..."

Thai Deputy PM messages PM: "Boss, Boss, I have a great idea, we should build a World Trade HQ in Thailand. Nobody around here has one. We should have one. Be the first! Be the only! Make it BIG! Biggest building in the world!"

Japanese Ambassador thinking to himself: "...children, it's sooo easy with children...some things never change..."

[SOTIRIOS]

....so many grandiose claims of foreign support and endorsement...but never any direct quotes....

[JeremyBowskill]

If this Japanese fella is anything like the businessmen I met in Japan, of course he would be keen to have a trade hub here. Any excuse for an away day leg over would be a good excuse for most Japanese business men!

[waynethor]

If this Japanese fella is anything like the businessmen I met in Japan, of course he would be keen to have a trade hub here. Any excuse for an away day leg over would be a good excuse for most Japanese business men!

Yes, those little jaunts to Thailand would give them a chance to buy some of the female Thai university uniforms, featuring short skirts and tight everything, that have become so popular with Japanese men.

But they're going to be sad when they find out that the statement was only a figment of someone's over-active imagination.

[Commerce]

WORLD TRADE HEADQUARTERS - THAILAND?

Somebody is on Ya ba.

Where's it going to be? Inside Ning Bualamphu's orifice, or at the top of the Baiyoke Toweeerrrr.

I think even Greece could object to such a proposterous idea.

[Thai at Heart]

' According to a Thai Deputy PM ' might just say it all. No quotes from the Japanese o far.

Surely a Thai official wouldn't make claims or issue comments on behalf of another country ?

Well, only yesterday David Cameron was all fine with that RTP efforts at investigation in Koh Tao

[NongKhaiKid]

' According to a Thai Deputy PM ' might just say it all. No quotes from the Japanese o far.

Surely a Thai official wouldn't make claims or issue comments on behalf of another country ?

Well, only yesterday David Cameron was all fine with that RTP efforts at investigation in Koh Tao

Was that a ' GENERAL ' comment or one that came from London ?