Foreign business confidence in Thailand improves slightly
The foreign business confidence index in the third quarter was 41.7, an improvement but still below the 50 mark, University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce president Thanawat Phonwichai said on Thursday.
The chamber had conducted a survey of 66 foreign chambers of commerce from 29 countries during the August-October period, divided into Asia at 48.4 per cent, Europe 40.6, North America 4.7, South America 3.1, Africa 1.6 and Australia and the Pacific Islands 1.6.
The opinion survey found that the Thai economic situation was still at a "bad level", whether it was purchasing power, foreign investment, the tourism situation, or industry, trade, and services performance.
However, foreign investors believe Thailand’s economic situation in the next three months, or the 4th quarter, will improve after lockdowns have been relaxed and the country reopens from November 1.
But foreign businessmen said they wanted the Thai government to have a clear plan in controlling Covid-19 and providing vaccines to residents more quickly, policies to provide subsidies to businesses and SMEs affected by the pandemic and to fix “complex rules” for investments so that the process is modern and simplified, including the process of obtaining visas and work permits, besides further easing Covid measures to make business operations more convenient.