Anti-flood walls for Thai industrial estates almost completed

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BANGKOK, May 15 – Thailand’s Industry Ministry will earmark a Bt1.754 billion (US$60 million) subsidy for the construction of flood-prevention walls at four industrial estates in northern Bangkok and further north Ayutthaya, minister Prasert Boonchaisuk said today.

He said the financial allocation represented two-thirds of the total expense and an additional subsidy will be granted to two more industrial estates of which the anti-flood walls have yet to finish.

Representatives of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce in Bangkok called on the industry minister today inquiring about the government’s policy on investment privileges to new investments from their country.

Mr Prasert and the Japanese businessmen also discussed Japan’s request to extend an Information Technology Agreement to include 200 IT items instead of the present allowance of 140 items.

The Thai finance ministry and related state and private agencies are discussing the request, he said.

He said the Japanese Trade Union Confederation recently informed Thailand of the Japanese small- and medium enterprises’ interest to invest in Thailand and set up a distribution centre here.

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is scheduled to visit Japan next week, Wednesday through Friday May 22-24, to inspect the JTUC distribution centres.