Thai PM:WEF on East Asia achieves great success

BANGKOK, June 2 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has proclaimed the 21st World Economic Forum (WEF) on East Asia, held in Bangkok from May 30-June 1, a great success, as it gathered, apart from regional leaders, more than 700 senior executives from regional private firms who could further boost investment in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Speaking during her weekly broadcast this morning, Yingluck acknowledged that investment, workers, agricultural products and goods will be moved within the region heavily, as tariffs charged between ASEAN member countries will become zero when the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) is established by 2015. Yingluck pointed out as the 10-member ASEAN bloc has a total population of about 600 million,, the region is being watched closely by people from the rest of the world, especially on food security. The Thai prime minister suggested that, in order to make Thai agricultural products become more competitive, their costs, quality and labour skills should, therefore, be further improved. According to the Thai premier, the entire ASEAN economy is expected to become more strengthened, thanks to capital inflows after the AEC is lifted off the ground. (TNA)