BANGKOK, June 17 — The Thai Ministry of Commerce says that China is directing more investments to member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its new investment direction can create opportunities for Thailand, making Thailand its door to the region, a senior Thai official said on Tuesday.
Ampawan Pichalai, director of the ministry’s Trade Policy and Strategy Office, said China started to play more roles in ASEAN and has become a leading trading partner of all ASEAN members, especially Thailand.
Last year the value of trade between Thailand and China amounted to US$457,000, rising by 10.2 per cent from 2012.
Ms Ampawan said China still emphasized logistics and the networking of roads and high-speed railways. he said investors are looking at Sihanoukville, an important industrial location and port of Cambodia, but it may not be ready to support large-scale investment at present due to many local limitations.
It is a good opportunity for Thailand to develop a special economic zone with Cambodia near the Khlong Luek area in Trat province. At that location, she suggested, Thailand could import cheap labor from Cambodia and attract Chinese investors.
She proposed that Thailand build double track railways to connect to China’s high-speed railways to facilitate export to China.
The opening of cargo high-speed trains between Chongqing and the Chinese-Lao border would considerably boost trade between ASEAN and China, she indicated.
The rapid growth of Chinese urbanization and Chinese households’ purchasing power would benefit the export of Thai products including electronic and electrical products, automobiles, furniture, home decorations, ornaments and processed food as well as tourism.
Close connection with Chinese markets would create plenty of opportunities for Thailand, Ms Ampawan said.
