Government moves to restore foreign investor confidence

BANGKOK, Feb 6 (TNA) -- In an attempt to restore foreign investor confidence, Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak plans to lead powerful economic-related ministers to visit Russia, Sri Lanka and South Korea after successfully concluding trade talks with several countries earlier. Mr Somkid is scheduled to hold trade and investment talks with Russian senior officials between February 22-27. He is expected to visit Sri Lanka and South Korea late March. High ranking officials of the Board of Investment and the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology are to accompany Mr Somkid during a visit to South Korea because the country has a high potential on technology and innovation. The Thai government has a digital economic policy and Mr Somkid and several ministers upcoming visits to several foreign countries are aimed at restoring foreign investor confidence while the government of Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-ocha has also planned to further develop basic infrastructures in several fields in future. Mr Somkid, accompanied by Finance Minister Apisak Tantivorawong, Bank of Thailand officials and representatives of the private sector, had just returned from an official visit to Iran between February 1 – 4. His visit to Iran was to strengthen trade and investment cooperation between Thailand and Iran after the US and Europe lifted sanctions against Iran amid landmark nuke deal in mid January. Mr Somkid told journalists that Iran was virtually closed because of the sanctions for decades and senior government officials led by those from Russia, China and Thailand had decided to visit Iran to explore ways for widening trade and investment in that country. He said investors from China, Japan and South Korea have decided to invest in Iran and these investors would gain a better opportunity in dealing with the Iranian government. (TNA)