On 20 December 2021, the Royal Thai Consulate-General, together with the Federation of Hong Kong Industries (FHKI), with a kind support from the Belt and Road Office, co-organised a webinar, titled “Investment Opportunities in Thailand : A Prime Gateway to ASEAN”, to promote Hong Kong’s investment in the strategic Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) area of Thailand. The event was graced by Mr. Edward Yau, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development; Mr Supant Mongkolsuthree, Chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries; Mr. Songwut Apirakkhit, Director of Investment Management of Eastern Economic Corridor Office; Mr. Vikrom Kromadit, Chairman, and Ms. Lena Ng,  Chief Investment Officer of Thailand’s AMATA Corp.; Mr. Zhao Bin, President, and Ms. Guo Jiabin, Sales Manager of Thai Chinese Rayong Industrial Zone, as well as more than 70 FHKI executives and distinguished members.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Tull Traisorat, Consul-General of Thailand underlined the objective of the event which aims to materialise the Memorandum of Understanding on Strengthening Economic Relations between the governments of Thailand and Hong Kong SAR as well as the Memorandum of Understanding between the Federation of Thai Industries and the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, both signed during Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s visit to Thailand in 2019, particularly to promote Hong Kong investments in Thailand’s EEC and the connectivity between “Thailand 4.0” strategy and EEC’s developments with China’s Greater Bay Area and Belt and Road Initiatives. He is very pleased to learn that Hong Kong investers is now ranked third among top investors in the EEC. Consul-General also highlighted Thailand’s new national agenda, called “BCG Economy Model” as the country’s way-forward for post-pandemic economic recovery and new opportinies for the economy. With a very close and long-standing economic relations, common position as “prime gateways,” to the respective region, and same policy directions in developing an innovation-driven economy, Thailand and Hong Kong are, therefore, “match made in heaven” for business partnerships. These potentials, coupled with expertise of fellow ASEAN countries, and a boon from Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP), will bring about even greater prospects for investments. These are the opportunities not to be missed for Hong Kong businesses.