Philippines-Thailand 2 day visit Aquino strengthens investment and security ties for PH

President Benigno S. Aquino III on Thursday welcomed the interests of three Thai business groups to expand their businesses in the Philippines.

The President separately met with the top officials of the three Thai business groups at the Chairman’s Room of Shangri-la Hotel shortly after he arrived here from Manila for a two-day official visit upon the invitation of Thai PrimeMinister Abhisit Vejjajiva. Presidential Communications Strategic Development and Strategic Planning Office Secretary Ramon Carandang said the business leaders expressed their strong desire to expand their investments in the Philippines.

Food and Floors: expanding investments in pork and building materials

The Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group, led by its chairman and chief executive officer Dhanin Chearavanont, according to Carandang, informed the President of the group’s intention to expand their agri-business in the Philippines by infusing capital in the hog raising industry because of the absence of foot-and-mouth disease in the country.

In a separate courtesy call, the Siam Cement Group (SCG) headed by its president and CEO Kan Trakulhoon likewise assured President Aquino of their company’s confidence in the Philippines as he echoed their company’s desire to expand investments in the Philippines particularly in power related commerce. Currently, the SCG owns the Mariwasa Tiles Company in the Philippines.

LPG: Energy giant investment to upgrade capacity

Carandang also said that the top officials of Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT) Public Company Limited, led by its president Prasert Bunsumpun, informed President Aquino they were considering to infuse their capital in the manufacture of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in the country.

Likewise, Carandang noted that the President invited the PTT officials to invest in the country’s compressed natural gas (CNG). At present, only Pilipinas Shell was involved in the exploration of CNG in the Philippines. The government is currently exploring the potentials of renewed gas, hydro-electric power, geothermal energy, and other alternative sources of energy in order to lessen the country’s dependence to imported fuels.

PPP: Thai’s see a way to help ASEAN neighbors and build markets through Public Private Partnership

Pres. Aquino also welcomed the participation of Thailand companies in the infrastructure development projects through the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program his administration has initiated.

In his opening statement during the Joint press Conference with Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva following their bilateral meeting at the Government House here, the Chief Executive said Thailand has proven its track record in Private-Public Partnership projects especially in the construction of extensive network of elevated roadways in Bangkok.

“My government welcomes the participation of Thai companies in the country’s infrastructure development through the Public-Private Partnership program,” the President stressed. Aquino said that during their bilateral talks, he formally presented to Prime Minister Abhisit his PPP program that aims to attract more private businesses, both local and foreign, to invest in various infrastructure projects in the Philippines.

The President also took the opportunity to thank the Thai business community for their continued trust and confidence to the Philippine government by expanding their investments in the country.  The President said, "Thailand’s thriving business community has a lot to contribute in the development of the Philippines, saying that by inviting the Thai business community to invest there we will generate more jobs for our people.”

The President also expressed his deep appreciation for the investments of Thai businessmen in the Philippines which he said have given employment opportunities to thousands of Filipinos. “I also thank them for expanding their business operations in the country,” he added.  Among the Thai companies he mentioned that presently have business interests in the country are the Charoen Pokphand Group (piggery and poultry), the Siam Cement Group (Mariwasa Tiles company), and the Petroleum Authority of Thailand Company Limited (selected gasoline station in Metro Manila), among others.

In response, Prime Minister Abhisit said the Thailand government appreciates President Aquino’s willingness and ongoing drive to remove the impediments in trade and investments, especially to foreign nationals who want to invest in the Philippines

GOVERNMENT Ties strengthened – both sides to work harder vs. crime, transitional terrorism, and human trafficking

President  Aquino and Thai Prime Minister Vejjajiva discussed the importance of working together in addressing common regional and global challenges, combating transnational terrorism, drug trafficking, and disaster risk reduction and management. In his opening statement during the Joint Press Conference with the Thai Prime Minister following their bilateral talks at the Government House here, the Chief Executive said that on agriculture cooperation, he proposed the enhancement of agriculture cooperation between the Philippines and Thailand in line with the Memorandum of Understanding that the two countries signed in 2003, especially in agricultural biodiversity management and conservation, and agricultural engineering among others.

On drug trafficking, the President said that they agreed that this problem is a common scourge requiring joint concerted action by all countries. “In line with this, I proposed that our two countries look into ways of further enhancing cooperation between and among our drug enforcement agencies,” he said.

Disaster mitigation : teamwork to deal with crisis and save lives

On disaster risk reduction and management, the President noted that he and the Thai leader agreed to ask the concerned agencies of their respective governments to help strengthen each other’s disaster management capabilities through sharing the best practices, among other measures.

“We acknowledge the readiness between our two countries to help each other in times of natural disasters and calamities. Our response to the tsunami that hit Phuket and other areas in the Indian Ocean in 2004, and when a strong typhoon inundated Manila and neighboring localities in 2009, brought our two nations together,” he said adding that these experiences will serve them well in their efforts to better address unforeseen challenges in the future.

Strengthening education ties: ‘People to People’ links

The President likewise noted that he discussed with Prime Minister Abhisit cooperation between the Philippines and Thailand in the field of education because many of the Filipinos in Thailand are working as teachers, who, he said, contribute to the enhancement of people-to-people contacts between the two countries. “We agreed to cooperate closely on our respective government’s candidatures in regional and multilateral fora, bearing in mind that our two countries come from the same region of the world,” he said.