Post by Deleted on Oct 11, 2013 9:51:42 GMT 7
BT2-TN
PM seeks Japanese role in Bt2-tn transportation project
Piyanart Srivalo
The Nation
Thailands Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra attends the 11th ASEAN-India Summit as part of the 23rd ASEAN Summit and Related Summits at the International Convention Center, in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, 10 October 2013.
BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has invited Japan Inc to take part in Thailand's Bt2-trillion transportation development project.
She also proposed to Myanmar to jointly develop a "trilateral highway", creating land bridges between India, Myanmar and Thailand.
She discussed these issues during bilateral talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Myanmar President Thein Sein on the sidelines of the 23rd Asean Summit in Brunei, PM Office's spokesman Teerat Ratanasevi said yesterday.
She briefed Abe on the progress of the mega-infrastructure project. She also asked his government and Japan's private sector to join the project.
Teerat said Abe was interested in having state agencies and the private sector become involved. Japan is not only keen to help roll out the high-speed train network but also to provide consulting services on train operations and ticketing systems.
Abe expressed sympathy over the flood situation in Thailand and asked the Yingluck government to take special care of Japanese factories.
Yingluck told Thein Sein that Thailand was ready to help Myanmar in achieving its reform agenda and to collaborate in trade and the development of the Dawei special economic zone.
The two leaders discussed the problem of smuggling across their borders, which cost the countries in lost tax collections.
Thailand was also eager to work with Myanmar on the implementation of the National Single Window, an electronic system ensuring secured and efficient electronic exchange of trade-related documents through a single point of entry.
The 23rd Asean Summit ended yesterday in Bandar Seri Begawan. In a statement, it was revealed that the grouping grew 5.7 per cent last year, was able to maintain its level of Foreign Direct Investment inflows at US$108.2 billion and recorded $2.47 trillion in total merchandise trade.
The leaders were also of the view that against the backdrop of weaker global growth, regional growth is expected to moderate in the immediate term. Nonetheless, in the longer term, economic activities in the region are expected to remain robust.
A number of measures - 279, or 79.7 per cent - of the AEC Blueprint have been implemented, encouraging the leaders that the regional integration would be completed by 2015, which would enhance Asean's competitiveness and continue deepening and broadening the regional economic integration.
To spur infrastructure development in the region, Asean also looked forward to the commencement of the Asean Infrastructure Fund's (AIF) lending operations this year. "We believe that AIF is an integral component of Asean's efforts to strengthen regional physical connectivity, and narrow the infrastructure development gaps in Asean."