Myanmar invites Thailand to invest in Pathein industrial area

BANGKOK, July 29 (TNA) - Myanmar has invited Thai business operators to invest in its industrial area in Pathein, the capital city of its Irrawaddy Region, especially in food processing projects. Thai Industry Minister Atchaka Sibunruang told journalists that he met Myanmar's Irrawaddy Region Chief Minsiter Mahn Johny in Bangkok on July 28 when the issue was raised by the visiting guest along with other cooperation plans, as Myanmar is developing the Pathein industrial area. Atchaka acknowledged that the Irrawaddy region is a Myanmar fertile agricultural area being developed to be a major industrial zone for agro-processing and food processing businesses in which Thailand has expertise. Besides, Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha has laid out a policy on promoting connectivity between Thailand and neighbouring countries, including Myanmar. According to the minister, Myanmar invited Thai business operators to invest in the Pathein industrial area in many aspects, including business matching or direct investment projects or joint ventures with their Myanmar counterparts, covering those labour-intensive ones. The Irrawaddy Region Chief Minsiter said, meanwhile, that the Myanmar government has a national development policy on turning the country from an agricultural society into a small, medium and large agro-industrial society respectively. The Irrawaddy Region Chief Minsiter expressed his hope that his visit to Thailand this week to exchange ideas and experiences should pave the way for expanding cooperation between both neighbouring countries for mutual benefits in the future. (TNA)