Thai business operators urged to be prepared for AEC

BANGKOK, September 30 (TNA) - The Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) has encouraged Thai business operators to adjust themselves to be prepared for new environment under the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), set to be formed by the end of 2015. Speaking at a seminar on the future of Thai industries after the formation of the AEC, held in Bangkok on Tuesday, TDRI Chairman Somkiat Tangkitvanich suggested that Thai industrialists need to expand their perspectives to the regional level, urging them to consider the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as both their regional market and production base. Somkiat acknowledged, however, that Thai business operators are expanding their businesses to ASEAN neighboring countries in forms of either their wholly owned enterprises, joint ventures or use of local manufacturers' services. The TDRI chairman cautioned that challenges remain in ASEAN connectivity, including import tariffs of each ASEAN member country, especially those of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, as well the rules of origin, the readiness of border checkpoints and corruption among staffs at border checkpoints.(TNA)