Electronics industry wants more privileges

Malee Choklumlerd, director-general of the International Trade Promotion Department, said after meeting with the electronics industry’s representatives yesterday that Thailand might need to improve|its promotion of the industry to attract more investment and make the |country a manufacturing base for exports.

The industry’s representatives were from the top three electronics exporters – HGST (Thailand), Western Digital and Seagate Technology (Thailand).

They said neighbouring countries provided more attractive investment incentives, specifically for each industry, with some promising more tax breaks.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had asked for a confab to persuade electronics makers to keep their manufacturing bases in Thailand and keep the country as a hub for exports.

"The department will gather issues from the private sector to propose to Commerce Minister Apiradi Tantraporn, who will forward them to Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, then to the committee for the development of international trade chaired by the prime minister for consideration," Malee said.

Electronics products, centred on hard-disk drives and integrated circuits, account for 14.9 per cent of exports.

Apiradi led executives from the automobile, electronics and electrical-appliance industries to meet Prayut for discussion on their manufacturing and export situations, obstacles and requirements for state support.

The Commerce Ministry will, again, take executives from the manufacturing and services sectors to hold talks with the prime minister this month.

This follows the first "Prime Minister Meets CEOs" event on October 26, when senior executives of Mazda and Ford producer AutoAlliance and the chief executive of Mazda Sales Thailand told Prayut that carmakers needed two or three more years to adjust to the new tax structure because of the slowdown of the new-auto market.