Japan has long been largest investor in Thailand

BANGKOK, January 14 (TNA) - The Board of Investment of Thailand (BOI) says that Japan has long been the largest investor in Thailand for decades. According to an updated BOI report released on Monday, BOI had granted promotional privileges to 7,302 Japanese investment projects worth 2.7 trillion baht from 1970-2012, with the lion’s share of 2,689 projects worth 957 billion baht related to the production of automobiles and parts, metal products and machines, followed by 1,750 projects worth 664.7 billion baht for the manufacturing of electrical appliances and electronic products. The BOI report said that Japanese investment in Thailand in the two major categories of industries had amounted to as much as 1.5 trillion baht from 1970-2012. In 2012 alone, the BOI acknowledged, there were 872 Japanese investment projects, worth 373.98 billion baht in Thailand, forming the majority of foreign direct investment (FDI) enjoying the BOI's promotional privileges in the Thai economy. Thailand's total FDI projects obtaining the BOI’s promotional privileges stood at 1,584 last year, worth about 645.53 billion baht, a 49 per cent year-on-year increase in projects and a 62 per cent year-on-year surge in value in 2011. (TNA)