Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has urged governmental agencies to get ready for the formation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 2015 as numerous changes will affect the country’s public, private and civil sectors.

Opening the exhibition “Thailand’s Economic Future under the ASEAN Community”, she urged the country to enhance its competitiveness to prepare for challenges as well as opportunities from the AEC’s formation.

ASEAN will become a single market of 600 million people by 2015, pushing greater connectivity in the region. Therefore, Thailand needs to make good use of its strategic location to act as a gateway of ASEAN, the PM said.

The Thai Government is promoting an infrastructure project worth 2 trillion THB to better the country’s connection with neighbouring ASEAN members. It has also outlined eight strategies for the country’s integration into the AEC.

She said that to be a trade, investment and tourism gateway of ASEAN, Thailand needs to make preparations in all aspects, and the Government is creating favourable conditions for all sectors to realise this target when the AEC is formed.

The exhibition, which will run until November 6, aims to improve knowledge on ASEAN and showcase Thailand’s competitiveness in the region. The Vietnamese Embassy’s Trade Office joined other regional countries at the event.-VNA