Four preparations for Thailand toward AEC

BANGKOK, September 20 (TNA) - The National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) has recommended that Thailand particularly prepare four areas toward the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), set to be established by 2015. NESDB Secretary-General Arkom Termpitayapaisit made the recommendation on Thursday at a symposium on “ASEAN Trade Logistics Connectivity”, organized as part of the 9th Thailand International Logistics Fair 2012 in Bangkok, referring to basic infrastructure, support for cross-border trade, the local private sector’s readiness to meet regional customers’ demand and the further development of human resources to serve the growing regional labor market. Arkom also suggested that Thailand further develop small and medium enterprises (SMEs) so that they can cope with growing competition after the AEC is formed, and that local SMEs join forces with large enterprises and use their better access to raw materials as advantages. The NESDB chief promised that his agency will then help explore opportunities for Thai large-scaled companies to expand their businesses overseas, urging the Thai education sector to produce personnel who meet regional market demand to prevent labor shortages. Regarding the basic infrastructure development, the NESDB chief noted that Thailand is building roads to connect to neighboring countries and is also streamlining procedures to maximize the speed of cross-border cargo transportation; while calling on neighboring countries to end non-tariff trade barriers to guarantee liberalization in the AEC and to keep improving quality of food products, especially food safety. (TNA)