Foreign investment surges by 32% in 1st Q 2014

BANGKOK, March 20 (TNA) - The Ministry of Commerce says that combined foreign investment in Thailand has stood at about 4.82 billion baht in the first quarter of this year, a 32 per cent year-on-year surge. Permanent Secretary for Commerce Srirat Rastapana told reporters of the information on Thursday, acknowledging, however, that 86 foreigners received permission to start their businesses in Thailand during the January-March 2014 period, a drop by 13 per cent year-on-year. Srirat assessed that domestic political protests may reduce the number of foreign investment seeking her ministry's approvals to run businesses in Thailand. In March alone, the senior official reported, 26 foreigners received permission to do businesses in Thailand, with their combined investment value amounting to about 2.23 billion baht, including 16 lending and accounting enterprises and eight representative or regional offices. (TNA)