Most emerging Thai industrialists join Tokyo-Bangkok pilot project for ASEAN

BANGKOK, December 19 (TNA) - The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) says that Thailand is now on top of the list for a pilot project on building up the capacity of emerging industrialists in member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Speaking at a business seminar organized in Bangkok on December 18 as part of the regional pilot project, JETRO President Hiroki Mitsumata announced that the Japanese government has supported the pilot project, aimed to help develop the capacity of a total of 18 emerging industrialists in the ASEAN Community (AC). The JETRO president stated that in Thailand alone, there have been so far eight emerging Thai industrialists having been matched with eight Japanese industrialists under the pilot project, launched in Bangkok with the cooperation between the Japanese and the Thai governments. "Eight emerging Thai industrialists have participated in the pilot project, which is supported by the Japanese government, representing the highest number in ASEAN so far", the JETRO president acknowledged. Meanwhile, the JETRO president proclaimed a successful progress of the "Shared Factory in Thailand" initiative, under which Japanese business operators wanting to invest in Thailand are welcome to have their leasing contracts with the Japan-based Hitachi High-Tech Group, Thailand's office, for the use of machines for their production in the Thai economy in order to reduce their costs. According to the JETRO president, a well-established Thai private firm, AMATA Corporation Public Company Limited (AMATA), has also taken part in the "Shared Factory in Thailand" initiative through a Japanese-Thai private joint venture by establishing a new company named Hitachi High-Tech Amata Smart Services Co., Ltd. (TNA)