Speakers at the webinar (Photo: VNA) The event, part of activities to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties, attractedthe participation of 15 speakers who are leading economic experts, businessmanagers of Thailand and Vietnam and international organisations, together withmore than 200 delegates from the two countries’ ministries, agencies,localities and businesses.
In his opening remarks, Vietnamese Ambassador to ThailandPhan Chi Thanh highlighted achievements in bilateral economic cooperation. Despitethe COVID-19 pandemic, two-way trade hit nearly 13 billion USD in the first 8months of 2021, up nearly 30 percent year-on-year, thus helping Thailandmaintain its position as Vietnam's leading trading partner in ASEAN. Thaiinvestors continue committing to invest in Vietnam with more than 600 projects,with a total capital of more than 13 billion USD.
Thanh thanked Thai businesses for actively joining handswith the Vietnamese government and people in fighting the pandemic, including donations to the vaccine fund and provision of medical equipment for Vietnamesehospitals. He affirmed that the Vietnamese Government is making efforts to implementmeasures to contain the pandemic and create favourable conditions for economic,production and business activities in the “new normal”.
Thai Ambassador to Vietnam Nikorndej Balankura affirmed thatthe COVID-19 epidemic has caused unprecedented challenges, but also brought newdevelopment opportunities for businesses, so the private sector needs to adaptto the new normal, including digital transformation, and transition to greenand sustainable economic sectors.
Nguyen Anh Duong from the Central Institute for EconomicManagement and expert Siwat Luangsomboon from Kasikorn Bank said that Vietnamhas many advantages in economic recovery, with an open economy and opportunitiesbrought about by new-generation free trade agreements (FTAs).
Sanan Angubolkul, Chairman of the Thai-Vietnamese BusinessCouncil and Nguyen Quang Vinh, General Secretary of the Vietnam Chamber ofCommerce and Industry, proposed carrying out a clear roadmap and safetymeasures to soon reopen the countries, in which the key is to acceleratevaccinations against COVID-19 and improve the capacity of enterprises inself-response to the pandemic.
Meanwhile, Audsitti Sroithong, Director of the ThaiInvestment Promotion Centre in Vietnam, said that the bio-circular-green (BCG) economicmodel will be a future trend to help countries recover. It will open up bigopportunities for countries in the CLMV region (including Cambodia, Laos,Myanmar, and Vietnam) to invest in Thailand and vice versa in the fields ofsmart agriculture, smart infrastructure, and electric vehicles.
Speaker Johnathan Wong, an economist at UNESCAP, proposedcountries promote inclusive economic activities, create opportunities andequal access for vulnerable groups, and improve the capacity of the privatesector.
At the second session on trade and investment amidstCOVID-19, enterprises recommended the two Governments soon have roadmaps toreopen their countries, promptly propose consistent measures so that businessescan be well prepared, limit the impacts on production and business activities, ease financial burdens, and overcome labour shortages.
Businesses pledged to join hands with the Vietnamese Governmentin controlling the pandemic and recovering the economy./.
VNA
