Thai govt eyes more investment from European investors

[rkidlad]

7 minutes ago, saengd said:

You've reminded me why I put you on ignore, your propensity to troll gets really tiresome, I must stop peaking at your posts from time to time.

 

But not true yet again!! In case your understanding of English is lacking, not seeing how something is possible is not the same as "they can't".

 

So bye for now, I'll leave you to have your usual last word.

Says the man who's constantly replying to many posters' rebuttals of his guff. 

[saengd]

It seems as though the herd has run out of useful arguments related to economics or finance and are scraping the barrel by slagging off the government and me, so I'll let you enjoy yourselves alone.

[rvaviator]

3 hours ago, Assurancetourix said:

I don't suggest anything at all; I share facts;
1,500 workers will soon be unemployed when the Chinese company owns ex-GM Thailand;
Whether or not this company replaces them with robots is not what I know.

Is that not just how the press operate ... today .. the bad news .. Next week .. the good news .. same world over is it not?  On a slightly different but related subject ... You should have a look on YouTube for a Netflix film called American Factory ...  Very interesting ...  About a Chinese Billionaire who buys a old GM plant and re-starts it with his Automotive windscreen business ..

[ParkerN]

Right. Lots of luck with that. I might be forearmed and therefore forewarned, but I think I'd invest in paving over Hades before I invested in Prayuth's Thailand or anything that reeked quite so much of Prayuth and his cronies.

 

Frankly, anyone that sent money here to prop up this guy and what he represents needs to have their head felt...

[JustAnotherHun]

23 minutes ago, saengd said:

Well one is a monarchy and the other is a communist government....I can't believe you're actually asking me what the difference is!!

 

 

Please tell me the difference for foreign investments then.

 

We have a constitutional monarchy in a country kept running by an unstable and corrupt military regime holding the world record in military coups and on the other hand a so called "communist" regime.

 

Btw: China is a "communist" country too. Was that a problem for foreign companies investing billions over billions there in the last decade?

 

Any investor will look at the investment climate, the available workers and their skills more than if it's a "communist" country or a so called monarchy. If your factory is in Vietnam you have the same access to the Asean and world market. That is what counts.

 

Thailand missed to transform in a hightec place (as Malaysia did for example). It is still just a cheap workshop, nothing else. And there are more and cheaper workshops around here.

 

To like Thailand and one's stay here does not mean you have to wear pink glasses.

[BestB]

37 minutes ago, Brigand said:

Guess we could always contact Carlsberg or Pepsi for comments on that one.

Do not forget the Kingsgate and Hopewell????

[ParkerN]

1 hour ago, BestB said:

Do not forget the Kingsgate and Hopewell????

Foreigners - yes?

 

Fair game then. and if you get stuck while cheating them, the government will be right there to help.

 

Sorry (typo) - the government will be right there to help you cheat them and back you in court if the wheels fall off. The government has a proud history of helpng Thai companies to cheat foreigners. Didn't work out so well with the Germany thing, but that was an aberration.

Edited February 19, 2020 by ParkerN

[MaxLee]

Ban the TM 30 !!!!!

[spiekerjozef]

Investing in a coal engine would be a better choice...

[Redline]

8 hours ago, saengd said:

Indeed your fantasy and the reality are two very different things!

 

"Foreign direct investment is an important element of Thailand's economic development, and the country is one of the major FDI destinations in its region. FDI flows continued their recovery and rose to USD 10.49 billion, and cccording to public agency Thailand Board of Investment, FDI flows in the first nine months of 2019 increased 69% from the year earlier period to USD 6.7 billion. This recovery is due to increased investment from Japan, Hong Kong and Mauritius".

 

"Japan and Singapore are by far the largest investors in the country and account for slightly more than half of FDI inflows. Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Germany, Mauritius and the United Kingdom are also among the major investors. Manufacturing and financial and insurance activities attract nearly 70% of all FDI inflows".

 

https://www.nordeatrade.com/en/explore-new-market/thailand/investment

https://santandertrade.com/en/portal/establish-overseas/thailand/foreign-investment

https://www.ceicdata.com/en/indicator/thailand/foreign-direct-investment

How many are leaving?  You forgot that part 

[BritManToo]

3 hours ago, Canuck1966 said:

Ah bless, nice to know some people believe the dross that comes out of the Junta's windbag

Probably believes the tourist figures too ....... they'll be well up by the end of the year.

[baansgr]

I'd invest 5 million baht tomorrow in a house....if I could own it

[ParkerN]

11 minutes ago, baansgr said:

I'd invest 5 million baht tomorrow in a house....if I could own it

 

You can. but you are not allowed to own the land it stands on. In order to understand that, you need to ask the ubiquitous question in Thailand: Cui Bono? Who benefits from that law existing? There's a choice of 1. It's an easy question if you understand the difference between Freehold and Leasehold. Understand that and you will understand who owns Thailand and why - and many things that appeared strange will then appear reasonable if not exactly philanthropic.

 

 

Edited February 19, 2020 by ParkerN

[Cake Monster]

12 hours ago, webfact said:

Speaking in a meeting, the Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha stressed Thailand’s willingness to provide quality facilitation to foreign investors as allowed under the law and by other regulations. He asked the EU-ASEAN Business Council (EU-ABC) to further convey information on Thailand’s potential and investment promotion plans to European investors.

 

" as allowed under the Law and by other Regulations "

Now if I was a Potential Investor, and having read that, I would be thinking that I was possibly be dealing with some amateurs.

Business Law is Business Law . What are these so called other Regulations

 

[Assurancetourix]

8 hours ago, saengd said:

I was being sarcastic, of course Great Wall is going to rehire workers, those 1,500 jobs are not lost forever, that sort of thing happens all the time.

I am not a soothsayer but ...

this is unfortunately what I thought; 1500 GM employees find themselves on the floor ... so unemployment 

 

 

[saengd]

2 hours ago, Redline said:

How many are leaving?  You forgot that part 

Well, those numbers are less than six months old so yes, you'd have to factor it anything that happened since. But Thailand always has had a high turn over f companies, old ones closing down, new ones starting up, off the top of my head I recall it's something like 5,000 a year.

[saengd]

12 minutes ago, Assurancetourix said:

I am not a soothsayer but ...

this is unfortunately what I thought; 1500 GM employees find themselves on the floor ... so unemployment 

 

 

From your link:

 

The ministry has ascertained with organisations in the Eastern Economic Corridor that there are already 15,132 jobs available in the automotive field.

 

So the 1.500 job losses appear not to be a big deal.

Edited February 19, 2020 by saengd

[saengd]

5 hours ago, JustAnotherHun said:

Please tell me the difference for foreign investments then.

 

We have a constitutional monarchy in a country kept running by an unstable and corrupt military regime holding the world record in military coups and on the other hand a so called "communist" regime.

 

Btw: China is a "communist" country too. Was that a problem for foreign companies investing billions over billions there in the last decade?

 

Any investor will look at the investment climate, the available workers and their skills more than if it's a "communist" country or a so called monarchy. If your factory is in Vietnam you have the same access to the Asean and world market. That is what counts.

 

Thailand missed to transform in a hightec place (as Malaysia did for example). It is still just a cheap workshop, nothing else. And there are more and cheaper workshops around here.

 

To like Thailand and one's stay here does not mean you have to wear pink glasses.

Being a communist country is just one of the many factors potential investors will look at, all other things being equal I see that as being a something of a negative if the competing country is run under the rule of law rather than communist committee, in itself it's not a deal breaker but it could easily be a tie breaker.

 

 

 

 

[observer90210]

Ok fine so how about giving a 10 year visa free, with no hassles for re-entry, reporting 90 day etc etc to all those who have purchased property in Thailand ? For a start....????...and allow foreigners to own their individual piece of land purchased with the house....if not, no more farang will dare risk his hard earned money in Thailand....sorry...

[saengd]

Just now, observer90210 said:

Ok fine so how about giving a 10 year visa free, with no hassles for re-entry, reporting 90 day etc etc to all those who have purchased property in Thailand ? For a start....????...and allow foreigners to own their individual piece of land purchased with the house....if not, no more farang will dare risk his hard earned money in Thailand....sorry...

They're talking about European investors here, serious money investors, big corporate money stuff, not, I will open a noodle stand investors!

[lkv]

Just now, saengd said:

They're talking about European investors here, serious money investors, big corporate money stuff, not, I will open a noodle stand investors!

Well, they'd be better off attracting smaller investors, they might be more naive than the big ones.

[observer90210]

15 minutes ago, saengd said:

They're talking about European investors here, serious money investors, big corporate money stuff, not, I will open a noodle stand investors!

Noodle stand ? You know there are retirees with a pension that can envy many regular professional salaries, who buy villas with pools for their retirement ? You may not be fully aware of the context ?   Visitors in Thailand are not just the gogo bar mongerer or the prospects looking to earn here by opening another girlie joint...????

Edited February 19, 2020 by observer90210

[LomSak27]

11 hours ago, saengd said:

11 hours ago, ToThailand said:

If he want foreign investors there wouldnt it be a good idea to treat foreigners better then when they come to visit their country?

You can imagine it can you not, the prospective investors check list:

 

Easy to do business with - check

Tax breaks - check

Good infrastructure - check

Available inexpensive labour force - check

No social security over heads - check

Cheap financing - check

Treats our citizens very well - needs improvement

 

Well, that's a show stopper then!

 

1) Expropriation of Kingsgate’s Chatree gold mine. -- Check

2 )The Ministry of Transport vs Hopewell,  broken contract.--Check

 

Well, that's a show stopper then!

Decide to invest in a Penguin processing plant in Patagonia instead. 

[rvaviator]

25 minutes ago, lkv said:

Well, they'd be better off attracting smaller investors, they might be more naive than the big ones.

Well, remember that the small investor is more likely to invest his own money .. (less). The big investors are investing share holders money ???? ... (more) ...   Funny how its always easier to spend other peoples money ....

[saengd]

1 hour ago, LomSak27 said:

 

1) Expropriation of Kingsgate’s Chatree gold mine. -- Check

2 )The Ministry of Transport vs Hopewell,  broken contract.--Check

 

Well, that's a show stopper then!

Decide to invest in a Penguin processing plant in Patagonia instead. 

I didn't follow those things but a quick look up tells the story:

 

Kingsgate Gold Mine

 

"Pasu Loharjun, permanent secretary of Industry, said residents had filed complaints against the gold mining operation for a long time due to its alleged impact on the environment and people’s health. This led the NCPO to issue the order on December 13, 2016 to resolve the conflict by suspending all gold mining operations nationwide so that agencies concerned could tackle the problems and take remedial measures".

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30330764

 

Hopewell

 

The contract may have been broken but Hopewell didn't lose out because the courts found in their favor.

"Thailand’s Transport Ministry and the State Railways of Thailand (SRT) have lost their appeal against the Supreme Administrative Court’s order that they pay 12 billion baht in compensation to Hopewell (Thailand) Company for the cancellation of the contract for the Hopewell project, as previously ruled by an arbitration panel".

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/transport-ministry-and-srt-to-pay-hopewell-12-billion-baht-compensation/

 

Kinda looks like Hopewell gets their compensation and that the rule of law work pretty well.

 

 

Edited February 19, 2020 by saengd

[saengd]

1 hour ago, observer90210 said:

Noodle stand ? You know there are retirees with a pension that can envy many regular professional salaries, who buy villas with pools for their retirement ? You may not be fully aware of the context ?   Visitors in Thailand are not just the gogo bar mongerer or the prospects looking to earn here by opening another girlie joint...????

Fine, but it doesn't change the fact that the subject is corporate investment, no matter how well heeled some pensioners are.

[LomSak27]

Just now, saengd said:

I didn't follow those things but a quick look up tells the story:

 

If you pull up something more than 'Thai newspaper articles', you will find both are major RED FlAGS about the very real dangers of investing in Thailand. Expect International investors to have done their due diligence and Know all about both of these cases.

[saengd]

51 minutes ago, LomSak27 said:

 

If you pull up something more than 'Thai newspaper articles', you will find both are major RED FlAGS about the very real dangers of investing in Thailand. Expect International investors to have done their due diligence and Know all about both of these cases.

It's all about the outcome that matters and the outcome looks just fine to me.

[LomSak27]

4 minutes ago, saengd said:

It's all about the outcome that matters and the outcome looks just fine to me.

Unfortunately when you know little about either case, erroneous conclusions are almost guaranteed.

 

International investors on the other hand will be looking for profitable investments. Not years or decades of litigation the result of outright seizure of assets & broken contracts. As such it will be an uphill battle to convince them to invest.

[Assurancetourix]

33 minutes ago, saengd said:

It's all about the outcome that matters and the outcome looks just fine to me.

once bitten twice shy ...

 

To meditate ....

For Joerg Wuttke, the situation is a "red flag" demonstrating the excessive dependence on a China factory of the world, long considered "unbeatable" for its capacity to produce quickly and in mass.
"We lacked vigilance [...] But many companies are thinking of diversifying their supply chains in other countries. Not because it will be better or cheaper, but just to get you out when your main country supplier goes into the dark. "

 

Who is Joerg Wuttke ?

 

https://www.europeanchamber.com.cn/en/national-news/2996/european_chamber_members_elect_joerg_wuttke_president_and_select_a_new_executive_committee

 

At the beginning, I wrote: "to meditate"

 

I do not think that Europeans will make the same mistake by coming to invest in Thailand with a knack knowing that this country is entirely dependent on China for most of its spare parts.
Chinese factories are idling and it's not about to end; Thailand is also idling for this reason.

 

Of 109 American companies in eastern China, surveyed by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, two thirds have resumed manufacturing production, but 78% do not have enough workers to run their lines of production normally. 

"Workers are subject to travel restrictions and quarantine [...] Most factories are woefully short of arms, even after being allowed to restart," said Ker Gibbs, Speaker of the House, commenting on this. poll released Monday.

 

 

The capital, Beijing, subjects all arrivals to forty-fourteen days.

In addition, 38% of American companies surveyed do not have enough face masks for their employees.

"In some districts, to be allowed to restart, you must provide two masks per day to each employee and have two weeks of inventory," said Paul Sives, head of the European Chamber of Commerce for Southwest China.

"But you can't find as many masks in China" where there are shortages, he says