Thai firms in Malaysia keen to increase investments

BANGKOK: Many Thai companies in Malaysia are keen to increase their investments and expand their operations in the country, said International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.
Mustapa, who met senior management teams from five Thai companies with operations in Malaysia, said they want to boost investments in the country.
The companies are Berli Juncker pcl, Tipco Asphalt plc, Thai Beverage plc, Charoen Pokphand Foods pcl and Interlink Thailand.
“They see a lot of opportunities (in Malaysia). Malaysia is the natural choice because it’s closer. I met them and they said they want to increase their investments in Malaysia, which is good,” he told the media after attending a seminar on “Business Opportunities in Malaysia and Thailand” here yesterday.
Also present at the seminar was Thai Industry Minister Atchaka Sibunruang.
Mustapa made a stopover here to attend the seminar before flying to Chiangmai to participate in the Asean economic ministers’ retreat.
The Thai companies, he said, are aggresively expanding abroad and want to use Malaysia as their base in Asean and the world due to the country’s political and economic stability.
Mustapa said Charoen Pokphand Foods, a Thai food processing company with global operations, wants to expand its Malaysian operation and make the country its base in the halal industry.
“They see Malaysia as a country which is well ahead in the halal industry,” he said, adding that he was surprised by the huge turnout from Thai companies.
The organiser expected about 400 representatives from Thai companies but the number swelled to over 500.
Relations between Malaysia and Thailand, he said, have been progressing well with trade and investment as well tourism growing between the two countries.
“Thailand is Malaysia’s fifth largest trading partner with total trade between both countries of US$22 billion (RM91.6 billion) last year.
Meanwhile, a representative from Charoen Pokphand Foods, who spoke at the seminar, said in the halal industry, Malaysia is the best destination to invest in compared with other countries.
“From Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and Brunei, the best centre of the halal industry is Malaysia. This is the answer why we invest in Malaysia,” he said. – Bernama