Trade & Investment

Benefitting from an export-oriented, industrialised economy and an ideal geographic position with proximity to Japan, China and high-growth ASEAN members, trade and investment in Thailand has expanded steadily in recent years on the strengths of its agricultural, automotive, electronics and textiles exporters. The country is more economically liberalised than some of its larger ASEAN neighbours, and although foreign direct investment inflows have trended downward after hitting an all-time high in 2013, the government has implemented several reforms reducing taxes and incentivising investment in high-priority industries. These efforts fit into the broader Thailand 4.0 and Cluster Policy economic development strategies, which seek to promote manufacturing along the country’s Eastern Economic Corridor. This chapter contains interviews with Apiradi Tantraporn, Minister of Commerce; Hiroshige Seko, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan; Lim Hng Kiang, Singapore Minister for Trade and Industry (Trade); and Kalin Sarasin, Chairman, The Thai Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade of Thailand.