Japan invited to invest in east-west railway tracks in Thailand

BANGKOK, September 23 (TNA) - Japanese investors have been invited to develop east-west railway tracks in Thailand. Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, who oversees economic affairs, made the invitation while meeting a delegation of Japanese investors who paid him a visit in Bangkok on September 22. Somkid pointed out that the east-west railway tracks would facilitate the expansion of Japanese industries in the Thai East, especially in Chon Buri and Rayong Provinces, via the West to Dawei. The deputy premier said he believed that the project would have high economic returns and greatly benefit cargo transport. The deputy prime minister acknowledged that Thailand could support Japanese investment, as the Thai Kingdom has geographical conditions as a trade and investment hub of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and a gateway to other Asian countries. Besides, Thailand has restructured national economy to be more industrialized and adopted advance technologies, while the Thai government also supports sustainable growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). During the meeting, Japanese Ambassador to Thailand Shiro Sadoshima and representatives of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry expressed their support for the Thai government’s decision on developing industrial clusters, saying they were interested in creating cluster-to-cluster business partnerships. Meanwhile, a delegation of Thai investors will have a business exploration trip in Japan from mid-October to early November 2015. (TNA)