Thai businesses gearing up for Myanmar investment

Chutharat Plerin

Gen Chetta cuts the ribbon, officially opening the TMCECA Phuket branch. Photo: Chutharat Plerin

PHUKET: Before a crowd of around 100 Thai business people, General Chetta Thanajaro, a former commander in the Royal Thai Army, urged Thai's to band together with bellicose rhetoric.

“Let's drive our country forward,” Gen Chetta told the congregation at Boat Lagoon. “Our nation has been abandoned for too long. We, the Thai people, were fighting each other. I believe we can compete with any country in the world, but only if we stand together. It's time to rise up and use our power and knowledge.”

The general addressed the crowd at the establishment of a new branch of the Thai-Myanmar Cultural and Economic Cooperation Association (TMCECA) on the island yesterday.

The meeting comes as a mobile TMCECA convoy conducts a cross-country trip, moving to Phang Nga today, before taking business interests' concerns to the government.

TMCECA's director, General Athichat Charoenying, said Thai business interests overlap with Myanmar's.

Full story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Thai-businesses-gearing-for-Myanmar-investment/65256?desktopversion

-- Phuket Gazette 2016-07-23

He's been watching Donald Trump.

"It's time to rise up and use our power and knowledge"

The competition with be shaking in their boots by that thought.......because of the excessive and uncontrollable laughter!

Thailand has probably had more than its fair share of bellicose rhetoric (on a weekly basis) since May 22, 2014!

Go for it Chetta - compete with any country in the world, your countrymen are right behind you (if you believe the junta's propaganda).

If ever (as YOU say) the Thai people need to rise up, it is now! But, as for using power and knowledge (well, you are 100% correct in noting that your nation has been abandoned for too long).

As for the long-suffering people of Myanmar, in light of Chetta's outpouring to the "congregation", they should remember that October 1 marks the 78th anniversary of Hitler's march into the Sudetenland.

Just like the events of 1938, I can't see profit-driven Thai businesses being too interested in the TMCECA for mutual benefit.

Yea, go compete against the rest of the world and let us know how it worked out.

Better yet, let the rest of the world compete against you in your own country. But we all know that is never going to happen.

Some indictment of confidence in Thailand when the Thai smart money business boys want to to invest in neighbouring countries rather than their own.

The Thai business men and companies have already invested heavily in Vietnam and now they are looking to Myanmar. They are taking their money out of their own country which has a predicted GDP of around 3% and taken it to the above two countries which are going gangbusters and have predicted GDP's of 6.7% and and 7.5% respectively.

Profits over loyalty always wins.

They will be paying taxes in these countries and all they will bring home is an income tax on whatever the bottom line is massaged to show which might be happen to be nil.

The PM should invoke Section 44 and make them invest in Thailand where the happy people live.

urged Thai's to band together with bellicose rhetoric.

Looked up the definition of bellicose rhetoric and what was the first example?

Define bellicose: having or showing a tendency to argue or fight bellicose in a ... bellicose-rhetoric-north-korea ...

urged Thai's to band together with bellicose rhetoric.

Looked up the definition of bellicose rhetoric and what was the first example?

Define bellicose: having or showing a tendency to argue or fight bellicose in a ... bellicose-rhetoric-north-korea ...

Will they be able to invest without the same restrictions that apply to foreigners investing here ?

Will they be able to invest without the same restrictions that apply to foreigners investing here ?

Place restrictions on any competition to avoid competition. Kinda sounds like the juntas form of democracy.

No problem. The already wealthy 10% will grab the money as usual. Situation normal.

Our nation has been abandoned for too long....

And than they will bring their money abroad, something is not making sense here.

Remember not so long back someone stated that European businesses were having problems and Thai businessmen should get in and fill their boots ?

Love to see the reaction if someone in Europe said something similar to businessmen there about LoS.

Thailand needs to reinvent itself, for Thailand in 1996 was a powerhouse, they had the right people in the right place , they need to learn from lessons past and go for it , you can't tell me that this is now the case , just having a Junta in power or having 3 Senior Military and the secretary of defence as automatic appointments plus self appointed Senators in parliament in the new so called sham 2017 election , , a company investigating sovereign risk see's the structure of the ruling government, they'll start tossing the coin , as the other countries in the region vying for investment aren't much better.................................................... .

Hey Gen, do you really wish for the people to rise up and unite, sounds good just hope they stay on the same page as you. Their investment might just turn out to be an investment in a new order of Thai leadership.

Really he was only talking to the elites anyway, the rest don't matter.

He's been watching Donald Trump.

I see, so he's going to invest in building a wall between LoS and Myanmar and get the Burmese to pay for it.

Make Thailand Great Again.