The Thonburi Healthcare Group has suggested investors look at opportunities in Laos that can help boost freight transportation from Thailand to China and other countries in the region.
Kabin Sompongchaikul, picture below, a strategic investment consultant for Thonburi Healthcare Group, highlights the investment opportunities in Laos. He also shows a picture of Thonburi Healthcare Group (THG) chairman Dr Boon Vanasin (above left), who received an honour from the Lao ambassador to Thailand Seng Soukhathivong (above right) at the Lao embassy in Bangkok on March 7 last year. The honour was for providing assistance in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic.
Kabin Sompongchaikul, a strategic investment consultant to Thonburi Healthcare, made the suggestion at the online PostToday Forum 2022 discussing the topic: "Opportunity Project Thai–Lao".
Mr Kabin said Laos is the only Asean member country that does not have direct access to the sea, but does border China, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Thailand.
Its political system is strong and stable, he said adding that younger generations are bringing back new ideas learnt abroad to develop their country. Laos has a clear policy to drive its economy, notably the expansion of special economic zones to attract international investors. Billions of baht are invested in Laos' special economic zones each year, Mr Kabin said. Laos operates 15 such zones and hopes to have 40. They are connected to neighbouring countries via 10 major land routes and three key domestic highways.
Furthermore, Laos has developed transportation with a high-speed railway which will soon link to deep-sea ports in Vietnam. The transportation projects will make Laos a land-linked country, connecting Thailand to China, Vietnam and even to Japan.
Thonburi Healthcare eyes investing in healthcare and tourism as about 40% of Laos' GDP is generated from those industries.