Competitiveness needs speedy upgrade in every aspect, Prayut says
The country needs to become more competitive faster in every area, from product development to trade and exports to innovation, according to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
Speaking on his weekly TV programme Friday, he said that at present Thailand was a middle-income nation, meaning it didn’t get the full range of privileges from the global economy.
“Our goods now have difficulty competing. Therefore, we need to quicken the pace of competitiveness in all dimensions, namely products, trade, innovation, adding value, and the conversion of raw materials into higher-valued items before export,” he said.
Referring to the collaboration in infrastructure projects between Thailand and foreign countries, he said this was ongoing with China and Japan and there would likely be several more countries following suit.
He said working committees would need to engage in dialogues and negotiations with countries until a consensus was reached. No agreements have been signed yet, and the government is striving to get the best offers for Thailand.
Prayut said the benefits for the co-investing countries needed to be secured, with committees set up to conduct talks on various matters.
