Energy minister leads roadshow to Japan to woo investments in EVs, high-tech
Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow is leading a delegation to Japan aimed at inviting Japanese businesses to invest in electric vehicles and high-tech industries in Thailand.
Duangjai Asawachintachit, secretary-general of the Board of Investment, said Supattanapong's roadshow, with the Thai economic team, was scheduled to visit Tokyo and Kanagawa from Tuesday to Saturday.
The delegation also included Thai representative ML Chayothit Kridakorn.
Duangjai said it was the first official trip by the Thai government to Japan since the Covid-19 pandemic.
The BOI secretary-general said that as the pandemic situation has started to ease and several countries are beginning to open up, the Thai government has decided to start making overseas trips to invite foreign investors to invest in the Kingdom.
The trip is a roadshow held by the BOI to promote investment and to create confidence among foreign investors, she added.
The Japan trip was aimed at continuing the “co-creation initiative” between Thailand and Japan that would lead to investments under the Asia-Japan Investing for the Future Initiative (AJIF), Duangjai added. She said the two nations had jointly announced the AJIF in January.
Duangjai said Supattanapong would later meet Hirokazu Matsuno, the Japanese Cabinet secretary-general, and Japan’s Trade and Industry Minister Hagiuda Koichi as well as meet representatives of the Japan Business Federation.
She said the Thai deputy prime minister would also meet representatives of large Japanese corporations of the automobile and electronics industries to present Thailand’s policies that emphasise the EV and smart electronic, Bio-Circular-Green, and tourism and services industries.
The deputy prime minister will highlight that the Thai government has issued several measures to support and facilitate investments in EV manufacturing, which is a target industry for the country. Supattanapong would point out that it would be a good chance for Japanese investors to invest in the EV industry in Thailand.
Supattanapong would also highlight during the trip that the Thai government has a policy to invite Japanese businesspeople and investors to stay in Thailand by granting long-term resident visa of up to 10 years.
She said the deputy prime minister would point out that Japanese people are the target group for LTR visas because they have advanced skills.
