Thai - Japanese Direct Investment

In order to encourage and support direct investment activities of Japanese small and medium enterprises (SMEs), the Bangkok office conducts feasibility studies on direct investment in Thailand. These include potential joint ventures between Japanese and Thai firms.

Moreover, the office hosts seminars and provides information regarding the investment environment in Thailand including a review of Thailand corporate and labour laws.

Significantly, the office has stationed a Senior Investment Advisor since 1996 to provide advice on establishing joint ventures and cooperating with Japanese partners in technology. Apart from responding to inquiries on a daily basis, the advisor distributes information on new business opportunities to local companies, including Japanese subsidiaries.

In addition, JETRO has introduced the JOIN (JETRO Overseas Investment Cooperation) Scheme to promote direct investment and technology transfers from Japan. Under the scheme, the Bangkok office provides various assistance to Japanese companies interested in investing in Thailand. Part of this assistance includes helping them conduct technical studies and surveys which will provide valuable information to businesses on potential investment opportunities.

Based upon the JOIN scheme in February 2000, JETRO has officially launched the JETRO Business Support Center in Thailand (JETRO BSCT) on July 21, 2000 in accordance to help boost Thai economy. The BSCT project was initiated following the recommendations of an investment survey mission to Thailand led by Mr. Noboru Hatakeyama, Chairman and CEO of JETRO Head Office and the then Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai. The basic aim is to promote direct investment and technology transfer from Japan by the Business Support Center in Thailand. Because Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) are generally assumed to be the most important factors to economic recovery, the BSCT provides supporting facilities for their export efforts. Because of their size SMEs have limited budgets and have difficulty in obtaining essential information such as local government policies, business laws and regulations, current market trends. The Center is so designed to be a one-stop-service center for those prospective direct investors from Japan, providing a complete service. The center’s overall objective is to help increase investment volume from Japan.