PM invites Sweden to invest in logistics, regional transport

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has invited the Swedish government to invest in Thailand’s logistics and regional transport system, so that Sweden can use Thailand as a gateway to neighbouring countries in the region.

Yingluck extended the invitation to Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt during an official visit to Stockholm on Monday.

The two prime ministers had a luncheon meeting on Monday (Swedish time) and witnessed the signing of the Law Enforcement Cooperation Agreement and the Second Thai-Swedish Joint Plan Action by senior government officials, PM’s secretary-general Suranand Vejjajiva said.

During the luncheon, the two prime ministers agreed to increase cooperation between their countries in many areas – including trade, investment, tourism, and technological and innovation knowledge transfers.

Before the discussion, Yingluck thanked Reinfeldt for the warm welcome. She said she was glad that about 30,000 Thais were now living comfortably in Sweden and had a role in the Swedish economy.

The two leaders said they were happy about the signing of the joint second plan, which would be used as a framework for tightening ties between the two countries. Suranand said Yingluck offered to host a meeting under the joint action plan this year on cooperation on science, technology, energy and environment.

Yingluck assured her Swedish counterpart of Thailand’s economic and political stability, Suranand said.

She said Thailand would invest US$66 billion (Bt2 trillion) to develop its logistics and transport routes to link neighbouring countries. Yingluck invited the Swedish government to join in the investment and use Thailand as a gateway to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam through the Dawei deep seaport development project and other border special economic zones. According to Suranand, Yingluck expressed interest in learning from Sweden about medical tourism – and the Thai government promised to take good care of Swedish tourists. She said about 350,000 Swedes visited Thailand every year.

The two prime ministers also agreed to work together on the Alternative Energy Development Plan and the Swedish International Development Agency.

Suranand said Reinfeldt agreed he would consider the Thai government’s request to exempt Thai passport holders from the Schengen visa if they wanted to visit only Sweden.

Suranand said Yingluck ordered the setting up of four joint government-private committees to support Thai firms in their efforts to enter Scandinavian markets. The four committees will be in charge of promoting trade in energy, plants and agriculture, tourism and medical services.

Yingluck issued the instruction after a meeting between her entourage, including the finance minister, the public health minister and industry minister, with staff from Team Thailand in Scandinavian countries.

The meeting was held at the Sheraton Stockholm Hotel on Monday (Swedish time).