Boonsong joins Asean roadshow to Japan
Thailand has joined an Asean economic ministers' roadshow to encourage Japanese enterprises to trade and invest more in the region under the Asean Economic Community.
The four-day trip is scheduled on this Wednesday to Saturday (April 25-28) to Sendai |and Tokyo kicked off yesterday, with trade ministers from all |10 Asean member states taking part.
The roadshow is part of Asean’s objective to tighten economic cooperation with countries out-side the bloc. The mission to |Japan is a priority, as it is one of the leading foreign investors in Asean.
Thai Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyaphirom, who |has joined the mission, said |this country was taking this |opportunity to boost confidence |in Japan after last year’s flood-|ing affected many Japanese investors.
Thailand and Japan – which was devastated by a tsunami just months before the flood disaster here – will also share their experiences in dealing with natural catastrophes.
During a meeting with the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Boonsong will also seek the termination of an import ban on fresh chicken, as Thailand has been free from bird flu for a long time. He noted that the European Union had already lifted a similar ban, which should increase confidence for Japan to allow Thailand to export chicken to its markets |soon.
Asean trade ministers will meet with members of Japan’s parliament and the METI minister. They will also meet with private enterprises, and join a symposium about natural-disaster prevention and their impacts on each country’s economy.
Boonsong will speak on "Economy in Thailand after the Recent Floods" and "Towards a Disaster-Resilient Economy in East Asia".
According to the Trade Negotiations Department, bilateral trade between Asean and Japan was worth US$248 billion (Bt7.67 billion) last year. Exports from Asean to Japan were valued at $124.8 billion, while imports were $123.2 billion.
