ID :
165599
Thu, 03/03/2011 - 13:43
Auther :

Thai businesses urged to expand into GMS

BANGKOK, March 3 (TNA) - Thai business operators have been encouraged to resort to Thailand's geographical advantage to expand their trade and investment into the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS).

Yanyong Puangraj, Permanent Secretary for Commerce, made the remark on Thursday (March 3) after opening a seminar on borderless trade and investment in the GMS--organized to educate and prepare Thai business operators who are interested in trading and investing in other GMS member countries.

Yanyong noted that given its geographical advantage, Thailand could become a center of trade, investment, tourism, transport and logistics in GMS, as the country is along the North-South Economic Corridor R3E/W route linking southern China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand, the East-West Economic Corridor R9 route connecting Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam and the South Economic Corridor R10 linking Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Established in 1992, GMS comprises six member countries, including Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, southern China and Thailand. The group plays important roles in Southeast Asia for prompting a concrete integration of regional infrastructure, roads and logistics with more jobs and income generated for local people--in line with increasing trade, investment and tourism.

Two-way trade between Thailand and other GMS countries stood at 305.01 billion baht in 2010, accounting for some 13 per cent of bilateral trade between Thailand and other member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and 2.5 per cent of bilateral trade between Thailand and other countries worldwide.

According to the senior Thai Commerce Ministry official, two-way trade between Thailand and other GMS countries will further expand once the construction of the fourth Thai-Lao friendship bridge linking Chiang Khong with Huay Xai areas is completed in 2012. (TNA)

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