The Thai Chamber of Commerce is proposing a bilateral investment hub alongside customs and transport changes, saying the package could help businesses in Thailand and China reach markets, the Bangkok Post reported Nov. 15.
The chamber presented its proposals at a Nov. 14 session of the Thailand–China Business Roundtable at Bangkok’s Mandarin Oriental Hotel; Anutin Charnvirakul, Thailand’s prime minister, and Premier Li Qiang of China attended. Business representatives from both countries had met Friday, Nov. 13. Discussions included stronger economic cooperation and supply-chain connectivity, the report said.
The proposal’s centerpiece is a Thailand-China Investment Coordination Centre. The chamber said the proposed body would serve companies and investors looking for business contacts and information on investment locations. It would also give Thai small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) guidance for entering China’s market, according to the Bangkok Post.
For market access, the chamber wants Thai companies to have a way to ask Chinese agencies about import rules, product standards and the conditions for entering the market. It also called for simpler customs procedures and a single inspection process, steps the report said were intended to reduce delays and logistics costs.
Transport proposals cover land and sea routes, including the Thailand–Laos–China railway, which the chamber highlighted as part of its connectivity agenda. In agriculture and food, it urged Thailand and China to encourage Chinese investment, technology transfers and supply-chain development. The stated aim is to raise productivity and add value to Thai agricultural and food products, the Bangkok Post reported.
Thai Chamber of Commerce Chairman Poj Aramwattananon framed closer bilateral ties as a way to help companies manage global uncertainty. He identified lower costs and market access as priorities, and urged the two countries to put joint investment and technology sharing alongside trade in goods, according to the report. Poj said broader cooperation could create growth opportunities for SMEs.
