Thailand calls for regional countries’ modernisation
Thailand calls for regional countries’ modernisation to increase competitiveness
Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has called on Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand (CLMVT) to embrace innovation or else risk losing their competitive edge.
Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha (Photo: VNA)
Bangkok (VNA) – Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has called on Cambodia,Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand (CLMVT) to embrace innovation or else risklosing their competitive edge.
In his speech delivered at the CLMVT forum in Bangkok on June 24, the PM said despitethe CLMVT region becoming a main player in the global value chain, the regionfaces threats from rapid technological development and geopolitics.
These new technologies will render the existing production network, he said.
According to Prayut, contract manufacturing and production will slowly declineas new production networks in different regions, which embrace the modern valuechain, take their place.
In terms of geopolitical threats, countries in the region must have effectiverisk management in place to cope with the changes in the global market, headded.
The sectors most vulnerable to disruption are agribusinesses, textiles,automobile, and electronics, all traditional strengths of the CLMVT region, hesaid, adding the service industry within the CLMVT region will also be affectedby these trends.
He urged the governments to work together to support the sub-regional economy,while highlighting contributions to the shared prosperity within the CLMVT andinitiatives of the private sector.
The CLMVT forum 2019 themed CLMVT as the New Value Chain Hub of Asia took placein Bangkok on June 23-24, drawing the participation of industry and tradeofficials from Cambodia, Lao, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand as well asambassadors, guests from related private sectors and academics.
In 2017, CLMVT's GDP grew by 5.1 percent. From 2013-2017, external trade grewat an annual average of 4.6 percent, while intra-CLMVT trade rose by 7.1percent and investment went up by 15.7 percent. - VNA
Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand should build a joint master plan for connectivity and key infrastructure to raise the region’s competitiveness, said Thai Deputy PM Somkid Jatuspritak.
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Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha (Photo: VNA) 
