Deputy PM to attract Japanese investors at prefecture level

BANGKOK, Nov 17 (TNA) -- Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak will pay more visits to Japan to invite Japanese investors at the prefecture level, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, to invest in Thailand. After meeting businessmen from Mie prefecture to discuss their business interest in Thailand, Mr Somkid said the government focused more on inviting Japanese investors at the prefecture level because their businesses had high potential. He said he would visit Japanese prefectures to attract their investment. The deputy prime minister said potential Mie businesses included electronic, space, medical, food and tourism industries. Thirty Japanese companies from Mie have invested in Thailand and more will follow suit. “Investors in the food industry have high interest in investment opportunities in Thailand as Thailand has a wide range of seasonings but lacks know-hows to process them for export,” he said. Mr Somkid also said that the Japanese government was encouraging Japanese SMEs to invest abroad and about 10,000 Japanese enterprises were ready to do so and were targeting Southeast Asian nations. (TNA)