BOI plans survey in Europe to assess impact on investment
The Board of Investment is planning a door-to-door survey with manufacturers in Europe as part of its plan to monitor the global economy and its effect on investors in Thailand.
The information collected would help the BoI draw up its investment promotion plan for next year.
Secretary-general Atchaka Sibunruang said last week that the BoI’s offices in Sweden, France and Germany have been told to conduct the survey with businessmen.
The agency will also focus on high-tech and alternative-energy businesses with expansion plans.
There have been many concerns over the impact of the euro crisis on the world economy, but the BoI believes that the Thai economy would weather any storm as government agencies have not revised down the country’s gross domestic product growth projection.
“It’s hard to assess the impact of the euro crisis on the Thai economy. If Europe’s economy does not seriously shrink like during the US sub-prime mortgage crisis in 2008-9, it will not much hit Thailand,” she said.
The BoI’s investment privileges would remain unchanged until September.
Industry Minister MR Pongsvas Svasti will lead Thai investors on a roadshow to Osaka in western Japan from June 27-30 to attract more SMEs to operate in Thailand. South Korea, Taiwan and Shanghai would be next to get the same message.
In India, the BoI is scheduled to open an office in Mumbai in August.
Despite the euro crisis, the BoI is sticking to its target of Bt600 billion in new direct investment through applications for privileges.
During the first five months of this year, 817 companies applied for investment benefits for projects worth Bt374.9 billion, according the office’s report.
