BANGKOK, 21 May 2012 – Charoen Pokphand Group (CP) has urged the government to come up with clear strategies in leading the Thai private sector into the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015, believing Thai entrepreneurs could greatly benefit from the integration.
CP Vice President Sarasin Veerapol said all sides must join hands in walking Thailand toward the ASEAN Community. He indicated that Thailand has a geographical advantage from its location in the heart of ASEAN; hence its potential to become the center of ASEAN in many aspects.
Mr Sarasin said that Thai workers must improve their skills in order to attract large foreign investors. Besides, the government must be more transparent while civil servants must uphold their responsibilities and refrain from being anyone’s political tool.
The CP Vice President saw that Thailand could reap great benefits from the ASEAN integration. Additionally, he urged the government to solve the rising living cost at haste, explaining that the factory or farm prices of consumer goods are indeed relatively low, unlike the retail prices.
Meanwhile, Mr Apirak Kosayodhin, Economic Development Sub-committee Chairman, said the government’s 300-baht minimum wage policy has made Thailand less attractive to investors. He explained that Thailand must improve workers’ skills as well as production efficiency, particularly for SME owners who may not be ready for the rising competition.
