PM opens CLMVT Forum 2016

Itiporn Lakarnchua

BANGKOK, 16 June 2016 (NNT) – The Prime Minister has bid CLMVT nations work together to do away with border conflicts and to establish a greater role on the world stage as a provider of food resources.

Prime Minister Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha has opened “CLMVT Forum 2016”, a gathering of representatives from the governments of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand to discuss trade, investment and travel.

In his speech to open the forum, the premier pointed out that the CLMVT region has great potential and through close cooperation can achieve great prosperity. He pointed out the region can become a world leader in food production and travel if its people replace competition with shared development.

Acknowledging that the countries of CLMVT have many similar or shared products, the prime minister stated that unique aspects of goods should be played up to add value. He called for increased connectivity and let on that improved road connections are a goal of his government next year, elaborating that the Thai government wants all the capitals of CLMVT to be reachable from each other by car.

Gen Prayuth also asked that ASEAN increase its cooperation among members, urging all border conflicts be ended before the need for intervention from the World Court. He stated that current laws should suffice to manage border trade and interactions, noting that only enhanced communication is needed.

-- NNT 2016-06-19

Prime Minister Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha has opened “CLMVT Forum 2016”, a gathering of representatives from the governments of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand to discuss trade, investment and travel.

They'll discuss it alright, but view each other as competition, and as Thai businesses only tend to succeed when they have a monopoly, no meaningful agreements will be made.

urging all border conflicts be ended before the need for intervention from the World Court

So will Prayut now end Thailand's border dispute with Cambodia over the area around Preah Vihear Temple?

Previously, Thailand has claimed that the temple itself as well as the area around it was Thai sovereignty after the Court's 1962 decision in favor of Cambodia. But in November 2013 the World Court ruled against Thailand on appeal over ownership of the temple itself in favor of Cambodia. The Court left it up to Cambodia and Thailand to negotiate division of the undeveloped land to one side of the temple. But thus far, the Junta has refused discussions.

" The Thai government wants all the capitals of CLMVT to be reachable from each other by car."

Ummh, haven't they just introduced a set of rules that make it significantly more difficult to take a car across the borders?

Thailand is the only country out of the group that puts the steering wheel on the right.....well old clunkers in Myanmar are also RHD....the others drive on the left.

This is yet more evidence that The Thai authorities are panicking about the transfer of foreign investment away from Thailand and the loss of tourism to these neighbouring countries.

So the PM calls for more co-operation instead of competition in the vain hope that the Thai economy will start restoring itself. Does this mean these other countries are supposed to reject foreign investment and tourists just to "co-operate" to help Thailand?

CLMV are going gangbusters and are not just going to roll over and slow things down just to help T. Competition is what it is all about. T has made its own investment rules nest and have suffered seriously as a consequence. Now they expect neighbouring countries to help bail them out while they still hold to their anti-foreign investment laws they introduced in 2015.

Thailand is the only country out of the group that puts the steering wheel on the right.....well old clunkers in Myanmar are also RHD....the others drive on the left.

Maybe having steering wheels on the left has a link to successful economies do you think? Those countries with left hand drive seem to have economies that are charging ahead while Thailand is charging in reverse. Maybe foreign investors like driving on the other side of the road to Thailand

This is yet more evidence that The Thai authorities are panicking about the transfer of foreign investment away from Thailand and the loss of tourism to these neighbouring countries.

So the PM calls for more co-operation instead of competition in the vain hope that the Thai economy will start restoring itself. Does this mean these other countries are supposed to reject foreign investment and tourists just to "co-operate" to help Thailand?

CLMV are going gangbusters and are not just going to roll over and slow things down just to help T. Competition is what it is all about. T has made its own investment rules nest and have suffered seriously as a consequence. Now they expect neighbouring countries to help bail them out while they still hold to their anti-foreign investment laws they introduced in 2015.

No ASEAN country is going to help Thailand, because every ASEAN country has been on the receiving end of Thailand's fraudulent and venal practices and their arrogant superiority fantasies at one time or another. Also, Thailand is seen to be BFF with China,thanks to the dynamic duo's incompetence. ASEAN countries detest China.

They may not openly laugh at or mock Thailand in ASEAN meetings, but they just won't actually do anything to help.

Hard to make any comment at all except that Thailand has done it to itself. Som nam na. The damage that Dumpy and Grumpy and Prem have done to Thailand surpasses imagining.

W

Edited June 20, 201610 yr by Winniedapu

Gen Prayuth also asked that ASEAN increase its cooperation among members, urging all border conflicts be ended before the need for intervention from the World Court.

Then why do you need to buy battle tanks and submarines?