The military regime has approved five proposals submitted by the private sector to bolster the country's lacklustre economy.
National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha yesterday chaired a meeting of the Joint Public-Private Consultative Committee to consider proposals by the private sector to stimulate the economy.
Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, secretary-general of the National Economic and Social Development Board, said after the meeting that the NCPO approved five plans.
They are the promotion of trade and investment, industrial development, tourism, logistics infrastructure development, and the amendment of law and regulations currently presenting obstacles to businesses.
For infrastructure development, the NCPO assigned the Finance Ministry to study the set-up of an infrastructure mutual fund as a means to mobilise capital for infrastructure development and consider it at a meeting next month.
Mr Arkhom said the private sector has asked for delays and reviews of new town planning for Chon Buri, Rayong and Chanthaburi given fears of the impact on businesses.
The junta has assigned various agencies to consider the request and submit it for consideration next month.
Another issue to be mulled over next month is a proposal to boost the credit guarantee limit of the Thai Credit Guarantee Corporation (TCGC) from 18% to 50% in order to provide business operators with greater access to sources of funding.
The TCGC has been set the task of guaranteeing loans to business operators by financial institutions.
To spur tourism, the NCPO agreed to a proposal to waive visa entry fees for Chinese and Taiwan tourists for three months, from Aug 1 to Oct 31, to entice them after the political turmoil in the first half of this year scared them away.
The NCPO also asked the Finance Ministry to encourage state agencies and state enterprises to boost the number of conferences and training programmes in the country in an effort to promote domestic tourism.
In another development, the Federation of Thai Capital Market Organisations (FETCO) yesterday invited the NCPO to join roadshows in Singapore and Hong Kong to foster political understanding and regain the confidence of foreign investors in the wake of the coup, the adviser to the NCPO's economic chief said.
Air Marshal Monthon Satchukorn, who is also air force spokesman, yesterday said air force commander AMC Prajin Juntong held a meeting with FETCO chairman Paiboon Nalinthrangkurn and other FETCO delegates about the plan to promote investment and boost the confidence of foreign investors.
"FETCO proposed a plan to organise Thailand roadshows in order to improve the understanding and explain the situation in our country to foreign investors," AM Monthon said.
He added that representatives from the NCPO, state agencies and the Board of Investment will be invited to join the trips.
During the meeting, FETCO also proposed a plan to reform the domestic capital market by using it as a channel for public investment and to improve the capabilities of state enterprises.
Creating systematic savings to narrow economic inequality and reform of the capital market structure were also among the reform issues proposed by FETCO, according to AM Monthon.
"They proposed using infrastructure funds as an alternative for fund raising and presented information indicating the benefits of long-term equity funds and retirement mutual funds," he said.