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Industries are still facing many challenges in exploring their opportunities to cash in on the Asean Economic Community when it becomes fully effective in 2015, a seminar heard yesterday.
Payungsak Chartsutipol, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), said that amid global economic uncertainties and the AEC implementation, as well as domestic factors, both economic and political, local industries need to adjust and prepare to overcome this big change in Asean.
The AEC will open the door to business opportunities in Asean in terms of commerce and investment, he told the forum on “Industry Focus: Moving toward AEC” held by the FTI.
“Thailand has been positioning itself as a manufacturing base in the region for many industrial products, ranging from agricultural to hi-tech. The country has a good geographic location as the centre of Asean,” he said.
Jen Namchaisiri, FTI vice president, said a good example for industries is “cluster” cooperation, which is adopted to raise their competitiveness.
“I myself want any Thai investors to open their minds and believe that cooperation is a good way of doing business in this Asean Community,” he said.
An obstacle to investment in Asean countries is the lack of in-depth information, which causes many investors exploring new environmental markets to lose confidence.
Thailand’s transportation system also needs to be greatly improved.
Foreign languages are another area that needs to be seriously addressed, especially Asean languages.
The current political situation has rattled the confidence of investors. More importantly, as there are some political problems that the government has to solve, it has no time to be concerned about what the private sector needs, leading the country’s economy to go backwards.

RETAIL OUTLETS ON MORE STATIONS
Bangkok Metro Networks, which manages retail space at MRT subway stations, has outlined plans to open retail outlets at six more stations.
BMN this month opened its fifth mall, named Metro Nine, at Phra Ram 9 Station.
The company has plans to develop commercial areas at Thailand Cultural Centre, Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, Khlong Toei, Ratchadaphisek, Lat Phrao and Phetchaburi stations.
Metro Nine, opened on November 1, cost Bt47 million. The mall has 2,000 square metres of retail space with shops selling fashions, ornaments, food and beverages, while offering health and spa, haircare and banking services, as well as a convenience store.
The company had already opened malls at four MRT stations: Kamphaeng Phet, Chatuchak Park, Phahon Yothin and Sukhumvit. They have attracted about 10 per cent of overall passengers using the MRT trains, about 300,000 a day.
Sombat Trivisvavet, BMN co-managing director, said parent company Bangkok Metro Co currently operated 18 stations and about 11 of them had good potential for the development of commercial areas with overall retail space of about 15,000sqm.