JCC sees Thailand as ASEAN hub

BANGKOK, June 13 (TNA) - Assuring the Thai government that Japanese investors will continue to invest and cooperate with Thai entrepreneurs, newly-appointed chief of the Bangkok-based Japanese Chamber of Commerce (JCC) Akira Murakoshi has told Thai Industry Minister Chakramon Phasukvanich that JCC considers Thailand a business centre of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Murakoshi made the remarks while holding talks with the Thai industry minister in Bangkok on Friday (Jun 12), saying that he believes the Thai economy should expand well over the next 5–10 years. Murakoshi noted that about half of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Thailand comes from Japanese investors and the JCC office in the Thai capital is now ranked second biggest after the one in Shanghai. According to the new JCC chief, the JCC office in Thailand will be further expanded soon and become the largest in the world then, urging the Thai government to further develop infrastructure to cater expanding investment. In response, the Thai industry minister said that the Thai government is now investing in new infrastructure development projects, which are expected to be completed by 2027. (TNA)