Canadian businessmen are still eager to conduct trade activities and invest in Thailand despite the May 22 coup, a senior Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) executive said yesterday.
The Canadian businessmen expressed their confidence in Thailand to a TCC delegation which visited Toronto, Vancouver and Alberta from Oct 1-6 to promote business and investment opportunities in Thailand.
TCC vice-president Piyabutr Chonvijaarn told reporters at the Foreign Ministry, the Canadian response was a positive sign for Thai business operators as half the residents of the three Canadian cities were non-Canadians. Of them, 40% were Asians who could be targets for Thai exports.
Mr Piyabutr said George Hellor, Thailand's honorary consul-general to Toronto, had told him the political change in Thailand did not concern Canadian businessmen. Thailand should instead clarify its standpoint in Asean.
"The Canadian private sector knows Thailand well. They already invest in Thailand. They know it has a strong economic base and believe that Thailand will grow," Mr Piyabutr said. "Canada sees stability and a clearer direction in the current government," he said.
The TCC vice-president said his delegation also had a two-hour talk with Teresa Wat, British Columbia Minister of International Trade, and has invited her to attend the Canada-Asean Business Council Forum next March in Bangkok. Ms Wat said British Columbia would cooperate with Thailand in investment. She suggested Thai businessmen invest more in Canada.
Mr Piyabutr said his delegation also discussed three investment projects in Thailand with Canadian firms. One project involved an investment by Carnegie Wave Energy, a wave technology developer, to produce energy from rubbish and waste.
Another Canadian firm, Clevest Solutions, has expressed interest in investing in a project to improve ATM security and money transfers in Thailand. The delegation also discussed with Bombardier Transportation a plan to develop an elevated monorail system for Bangkok's Pink and Yellow electric railway lines, he said.