Foreign investors want Thailand to liberalise service businesses

BANGKOK, June 22 (TNA) — Foreign investors want the Thai government to liberalise service businesses in the kingdom and to allow foreigners to engage in businesses which are now restricted to Thai nationals only, according to Nandor G. von der  Luehe, chairman of the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand (JFCCT).
 
Mr. von der Luehe said after leading JFCCT members to discuss with Minister of Industry Charnchai Chairungrueng and top officials of the Board of Investment (BoI) that he believed the service sector, if liberalised, would thrive as like the production sector which has already been opened to foreign participation.
 
He said foreign investors are awaiting the Thai government action to delete clauses which forbid them from doing businesses in the kingdom.
 
The government should also assist prospective foreign investors in granting them faster approvals so that they could engage in business sooner, he said.
 
Mr. Charnchai said JFCCT members also expressed interest in a plan to establish a One Stop One Service (OSOS) centre to facilitate foreign businesses who are keen to invest in Thailand.
 
The Joint Chamber chairman, who also serves as vice chairman of OSOS, said he would discuss with concerned government agencies, such as the  Commerce Ministry, regarding foreign investor requests about service sector liberalisation to allow participation in businesses now reserved for Thais only.
 
One Stop officials are expected to start work next month while operations would begin soon after, Mr. Charnchai said. (TNA)