HÀ NỘI — The Thai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ThaiCham), previously the Thai Business Association (TBA), was officially inaugurated on Tuesday in Hà Nội.
Speaking at the launching ceremony, Thai Ambassador to Việt Nam Nikorndej Balankura underlined the establishment of ThaiCham as a milestone achievement of the 45th anniversary of Việt Nam-Thailand diplomatic relations.
He described the chamber as a “breeding ground” and “springboard” that will enable more Thai small- and medium-sized enterprises to do business and invest in Việt Nam.
“ThaiCham, as a ‘bridge builder’ that connects our enterprises through the supply chain, will bring the two countries closer in sub-regional, regional and multilateral cooperation,” he said.
The ambassador also noted that the chamber would support the establishment of a “Thai Room” at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam to promote people-to-people connectivity.
Đỗ Nhất Hoàng, director-general of the Vietnam Foreign Investment Agency, said that the establishment of ThaiCham was not only a milestone marking the development of the bilateral relationship but also a bridge that would help more Thai investors gain entry to Việt Nam.
“ThaiCham will open more opportunities for Thai investors by providing information related to Việt Nam’s economic policy, business conditions and business environment,” he said.
In the reverse direction, the chamber will also act as an intermediary to help Thai enterprises’ voices be heard by the Vietnamese Government.
Piyapong Jriyasetapong, chairman of ThaiCham, acknowledged that the transformation of TBA into the chamber would strengthen the connections between Thai enterprises and the Vietnamese authorities.
“Being a part of the Vietnam Business Forum Consortium as an associate member, we have been encouraging our members to take part in working groups of various industries as well,” he said.
The chairman also said that the chamber would spare no effort to strengthen the presence of Thai enterprises in Việt Nam to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Việt Nam-Thailand diplomatic relations.
Thailand is currently Việt Nam’s largest trading partner in ASEAN. Thai enterprises have 653 projects in the country so far with a total registered capital of over US$13 billion. — VNS
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