Dubai firm to invest in Thai mega-projects

BANGKOK, March 7 (TNA) - A Dubai firm has expressed its interest in building a port and investing in the logistics system in Thailand. Visiting Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Chair of DP World, a large-scaled investment company in Dubai, expressed the interest while meeting Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, who oversees economic affairs, at Bangkok's Government House on Monday. Somkid then told journalists that DP World wants to invest in port development in Songkhla Province in the Thai Far South to support a Songkhla-Satun landbridge project, linking the Andaman Sea with the Gulf of Thailand and connecting Thailand with Myanmar's Dawei Deep Seaport. “DP World invited the Thai government to inspect its large port investment in Britain. The Thai government, thus, asked the Dubai firm to present its investment study in the next round of discussion, as Thailand fairly welcomes international investors", said Somkid. The Thai deputy premier pointed out that returns to investment in worldwide stock exchanges have fallen and deposit interest rates offered by banks are low in many countries; so, funds of many countries have moved to investment projects in other countries and investors from many countries are discussing projects in Thailand. The deputy premier opined that it should, thus, be Thailand's opportunities during the time of a global economic slowdown currently, while Thailand should also ensure confidence for incoming investors. (TNA)