Ship building and repairing club formed

Wirat Chanasit, managing director of Italthai Marine, is the first president of the club.
Chen Namchaisiri, FTI vice chairman, said yesterday that shipbuilding and repairing was growing fast in Asia. Now 90 per cent of this industry’s value is in this emerging region, led by China, South Korea and Japan. This industry is important to the world’s economy and the country’s security. It also can support growth in many related industries such as steel, machinery, chemical and electronics.
The local shipbuilding industry posted domestic sales of Bt4.24 billion and exports of Bt2.82 billion last year, while ship repairing generated sales of Bt3.65 billion and employed 8,700 workers.
“The Thai shipbuilding and repairing industry accounts for only 0.01 per cent of this industry globally, so I do believe that the industry has room to grow,” he said.
The club sees potential in supporting ships for the petroleum production blocks in the Gulf of Thailand. Thailand demands about 200 of this kind of vessel per year. If the government can promote the building of about 100 of them here in this country, their value can increase to Bt30 billion per year.
The club was drafting short, medium and long-term action plans to develop this industry. In the short term, it would like to encourage more shipbuilding in the country to substitute for imported ships such as combat and specialised ships.
“If Thailand can further develop its shipbuilding and repairing industry, it will also enhance intra-region trading,” he added.