On Friday, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin told his Canadian and Australian counterparts of Thailand’s readiness to attract foreign investors, in light of the worldwide movement of businesses towards the Asean region.
During the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in San Francisco on Thursday morning, Mr Srettha had a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as reported by government spokesperson Chai Wacharonke on Friday.
According to Mr Chai, the discussion centered on fortifying cooperation in various fields and the shared belief in APEC as a platform fostering numerous prospects for both nations.
Thailand’s readiness to invite foreign investment, particularly in the context of a worldwide trend of businesses relocating to the area, was a key message delivered by Mr Srettha at the summit.
He highlighted the growing interest of major global car manufacturers in establishing electric vehicle (EV) production facilities in Thailand.
The Thai prime minister took this opportunity to engage with top EV manufacturers, discussing their potential plans to shift some or all of their operations to Thailand.
Mr Chai noted the Thai government’s well-established practice of offering incentives and benefits to promote the country as a key regional center for emerging technologies.
Additionally, Mr Chai emphasized Thailand’s eagerness to bolster bilateral relations with Canada, touching upon enhanced collaboration possibilities under Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy and the Asean-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
Mr Srettha also engaged with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to explore investment opportunities in Thailand.
Mr Chai mentioned that the prime minister agreed to attend a special summit in Australia in March, celebrating 50 years of Asean-Australian relations.
Both leaders recognized the substantial strides taken towards a comprehensive FTA and increased people-to-people connections, underlining the importance of tourism in their respective government policies.
Cherdchai Chaivaivid, the Director General of the Department of International Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reported that Mr Srettha was seated beside President Joe Biden at the APEC Gala Dinner.
He observed that the prime minister and the president engaged in an extended conversation during the two-hour event.
