Japanese investors interested in EEC

BANGKOK, June 2 (TNA) -- Twenty-four Japanese companies have invested in Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) and 10 companies among them plan investment expansion, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) stated. JETRO president Hiroki Mitsumata said the 24 investing companies included those in automotive, chemical, steel, retail, banking and insurance businesses and nine of them pinned much hope on their investment in EEC. The majorities of the nine companies’ workforces in Thailand were deployed in EEC, he said. Besides, 15 companies already set up their offices in EEC to serve their regional strategies. Mr Mitsumata also said that investing companies were satisfied with promotional privileges including reduction in corporate income tax, infrastructure development projects and permission for payment with foreign currencies. Mr Mitsumata said he was waiting to see the details of an executive decree on the EEC that the government would announce in three months. Japanese companies investing in Thailand were concerned most about economic stability, customs procedures, and traffic conditions in the greater Bangkok, he said. (TNA)