By the end of March 2017, Thai investors had invested in 458 projects with a total registered investment capital of 8.13 billion USD, standing at the 10th position out of 115 countries and territories investing into Vietnam.
With the determination of the two Governments and the proactive of businesses, the economic cooperation between Vietnam and Thailand will grow strongly and reach the target of 20 billion USD in bilateral trade by 2020. Vietnam-Thailand trade relation has grown by more than 40% during the past five years. Specially in 2016, the growth rate continues to reach 10% with total turnover of nearly 13 billion USD. In the coming years, the two countries’ trade will increase as the two countries move towards the implementation of the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement and other general agreements.
On the Vietnamese side, as of January 1st 2015, Vietnam has cut its tariffs by 0% on more than 8,600 tariff lines. The remaining 669 tariff lines will be reduced to 0% by 2018. On the Thai side, currently more than 9,500 tariff lines under the tariff reduction schedule of the ATIGA have been fully abolished since 2012. In that context, the two sides should organize activities to promote trade and investment; continue to encourage Thai businesses to invest in Vietnam, support Vietnamese businesses to expand their business to Thai market, contributing to balance the trade balance.
In fact, Vietnam is Thailand’s second largest trading partner in ASEAN and Thailand is the largest trading partner of Vietnam. The two countries are located on the mainland with convenient transportation. The two countries also have open policies, implementing many measures to reduce barriers, facilitate the flow of goods.
Not only a major trading partner, Thailand is also one of the countries having cooperative investment with Vietnam very early, right after Vietnam implement the policy to open and attract foreign investment. In the past few years, Thai businesses have made specific plans to increase their investment capital in advantageous areas in Vietnamsuch as retail, building materials production, thermal power, animal feeds…
The establishment of the ASEAN economic community (AEC) is a great motivation for Thai investors to bring capital to Vietnam and expand their business area. Not only towards the market of 90 million people in Vietnam, Thai businesses are far more visionary to penetrate the AEC market with a population of 600 million and a total GDP of 3,000 billion USD.
