Prayut vows further supports to rubber industry

BANGKOK: Two Chinese tyre makers have shown interest in investing in rubber compound processing projects in Thailand, said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in his weekly TV programme.

He said that these companies were driven by Thailand’s potential in terms of raw material and logistics, as well as the government’s commitment in materalise the "Rubber City" scheme.

On Monday, he visited Rubber City in Songkhla. In the programme, he said the scheme was kicked off for some time, but it remains far from success. Success requires more investment and linkage with other economic sectors, he noted.

He asserted that Thailand expected at least 70 new investment projects with combined investment of at least Bt8 billion by 2021. This would boost the annual demand up to 200,000 tonnes a year.

He also vowed to support the rubber industry through a series of plans, to promote logistics, research and development, as well as industrial processing.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Prayut-vows-further-supports-to-rubber-industry-30276014.html

-- The Nation 2016-01-02

I thought the elastomers for tires were synthetic compounds made from oil such as styrene, butyl and copolymers. I thought that natural rubber was too soft even after being processed and mixed with carbon black.

???

To the Thai, "scheme" is always a verb.

Yes, this is a scheme like so many.

Can anyone say whether "scheme" has a negative connotation in the UK, Canada or Australia like it does where I'm from in the US? I always cringe a little when they call something a scheme.

"He's a schemer," "She's scheming against him", "That's quite a scheme he came up with" are all negative in these parts.

Anyone?

Cheers.

These companies were more likely driven by a crash in the world price for rubber. And by setting up a rubber processing plant in Thailand might allow them to avoid export and/or VAT charges.

His Junta has a lot of use for rubber stamps

Prayut vows further supports to rubber industry

The Pope won't be pleased.