Thailand-VN ties grow significantly

02:46 PM @ Friday - 01 October, 2010
THAILAND — Co-operation between Viet Nam and Thailand had significantly developed in the past years, particularly in trade and investment, said Nguyen Thanh Bien, deputy minister of Industry and Trade.

Bien was speaking at a conference on business and investment opportunities in Viet Nam held in Khon Kaen Province, Thailand, on Wednesday.

The stable political situation was a decisive factor in the growth of investment, as was the attractiveness of the country, Bien added.

He said Viet Nam was in the process of perfecting its legal system in accordance with international standards, while streamlining administrative procedures by as much as 30 per cent and improving the country's infrastructure to make it more attractive to foreign investors.

From 2007-09, bilateral trade grew annually by 10.6 per cent. Last year, despite the global economic downturn, two-way trade topped US$6.1 billion and is expected to hit $10 billion over the next few years.

In the first half of this year, Viet Nam's exports to Thailand rose 4 per cent, while its imports increased by 43 per cent.

As of August, Thai businesses had invested $34 million in 12 projects in Viet Nam, making it the 18th biggest investor in the country.

(Source: VNS)