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Thailand becoming hub of
automotive R&D within ASEAN
Thailand is gearing up to become the hub for research and development (R&D)
within the ASEAN region for the automotive industry.
Piengjai Kaewsuwan, president of the Thai Automobile Industry Association
and chairwoman of the ASEAN Automotive Federation, said the automotive
industry in ASEAN would continue to grow in line with the region’s
continuous growth over the next 1-2 years.
Investment in the automotive industry among each of ASEAN member counties is
also increasing, she said.
In the meantime, Piengjai noted that Thailand was on the verge to becoming
the hub for R&D in the automotive industry in ASEAN, as many major
automobile producers, including Nissan and Honda, have already launched R&D
investment projects in the country.
Thailand has remained the number one automotive producer within the ASEAN
region, with the capacity to produce around 2.4-2.5 million units annually.
On top of that, the country is also seeing further investments to expand
production capacity, including the second phase of eco-car productions.
According to Piengjai the increased investments in other ASEAN states, such
as Indonesia, which now has the capability to produce around 1.2 million
cars per year, was aimed at expanding production to cater to higher demands
domestically and not to move production bases away from Thailand into other
countries. (MCOT)
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Thailand strives to become
a world leader in Green Building
Thailand is working toward becoming one of the top ten
countries encouraging construction of green buildings to conserve energy and
the environment.
Ninnart Chaithirapinyo, chairperson of the Thai Green Building Institute
(TGBI), said Thursday that the institute was prepared to evaluate
environmentally-friendly buildings designed and constructed in accordance
with the Green Building policy.
The evaluation was aimed to assure its internationally-accepted standards in
evaluation as that of the US Green Building Council (USGBC) in the United
States with more than 200 qualified engineers and architects.
TGBI said 26 green building construction projects in Thailand registered to
be assessed in the past two years.
It is believed the amount of energy saved from green building construction
will encourage more ecological building projects in the future despite the
high cost of construction.
Meanwhile, the organization held the “2014 Thai Green Building Expo and
Conference” Thursday, July 10, at the Bangkok International Trade and
Exhibition Centre (BITEC) to increase knowledge and promote sustainable
design and construction of green buildings in the country. (MCOT)
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Thai businessmen urged
to invest in Vietnam
As Vietnam has allowed foreigners to establish and fully
own business enterprises in its country, Thailand’s International Trade
Promotion Department says now is the right time for Thai businessmen to
invest in Vietnam because it has abundant natural resources and its wages
are low.
Nantawan Sakuntanak, director-general of the department, said the Vietnamese
government has aimed the country’s economic growth in 2014 at 5.7 percent,
inflation at 7 percent and has a policy to encourage foreigners to do
business in its country.
Nantawan said the Vietnamese government has amended laws, allowing
foreigners to register and fully own enterprises in that country.
Currently, the International Trade Promotion Department this past week
cooperated with related government agencies and the private sector in
organizing ‘Thailand Week’ in Ho Chi Minh City.
The four-day fair, started last Friday, displayed Thai-made consumer
products.
In an attempt to boost trade among members of the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) and cater to the implementation of ASEAN Economic
Community due to start in late 2015, Nanthawan said her department has set a
strategy in which Vietnam would become an important raw materials source for
Thailand in expanding its production base.
Also, Thailand would promote the use of economic connectivity in the region
and boost trade and investment relations between the public and the private
sector, she said.
Industries which will be promoted are food, services, textiles and garments,
she added.
Bilateral trade between Vietnam and Thailand during the first five months
this year rose about 8 percent, equivalent to US$10.5 billion. (MCOT)
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