Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai recently led a Thai delegation to the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo to engage in strategic talks with Suzuki Jun, chair of the Japan-Thailand Trade and Economic Committee, and other executives from the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren). The meeting discussed the economic relationship between Thailand and Japan, especially Japan’s role as Thailand’s third-largest trading partner and its largest foreign investor.
Highlighting recent visa exemptions for Japanese businesspeople, which facilitate visits for up to 30 days, Phumtham invited Japanese businesses to consider further investments in Thailand, particularly in sustainable and green industries.
The two sides also explored opportunities for about 800 Thai and Japanese automotive companies to transition into other sectors, including medical equipment and railway systems. Keidanren, which involves a vast network of companies and associations, affirmed Thailand’s role in Japan’s supply chains, with over 5,800 Japanese companies established across Thai manufacturing and service industries.
Suzuki further expressed enthusiasm for enhancing bilateral ties and invited the Thai minister to the 25th meeting of the Japan-Thailand Trade and Economic Committee in December. (NNT)
