Japanese businessmen remain confident in Thai business environment: JETRO

NONTHABURI, Feb 4 (TNA) - An opinion poll on Japanese companies in Thailand showed that they keep positive perspective for their businesses in Thailand in the first half of this year, according to an opinion poll by a Japanese government-related organization, JETRO. Commerce Minister Apiradee Tantraporn said that she assigned Deputy Commerce Minister Winitchai Chaemchaeng to talk with Hiroki Mitsumata, chairman of the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) on the opinion survey, conducted among Japanese companies about the economic trend in Thailand in the second half of 2016. JETRO president said that Japanese companies in Thailand saw low economic activities in the second half of last year but they expected more active movement in the first half of this year, reflecting their positive outlook of business environment in Thailand. According to the survey, Japanese business people are likely to invest more in food industry. They projected an increase of exports in food, chemical product and electronics industries in the first half of this year. However, challenges remain in production industries such as wage rise, lacks of engineers in factory management and research and development. Japanese business-people asked Thai government to provide economic stimulus packages such as infrastructure upgrade and tax incentives, the JETRO president said. The commerce ministry and JETRO plan to foster various kinds of cooperation in development of SMEs and regional value chain in CMLV countries, to push Thailand to be the gate, connecting Japanese businessmen and neighboring countries. (TNA)