Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa Encourages More Thai Investment

Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and Thai Ambassador discusses all aspects of cooperation, from aquaculture to film production.

Chennai 25 July - Ambassador Pisan Manawapat and Consul-General in Chennai Chanchai Charunvatnakit paid a courtesy call on Smt. Jayalalithaa, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu at Fort Saint George. The Thai delegation also was composed of Chamsai Menasveta, First Secretary, Royal Thai Embassy, Praphan Samphaiworakit, Second Secretary, and Piyarat Setthasiriphaiboon, Manager, www.thaiindia.net. Karnataka Chief Secretary Shri Debendranath Sarangi was also present at the meeting.

Ambassador Pisan informed the Chief Secretary of the importance for Tamil Nadu for Thai investors. Tamil Nadu was the first state where, in 1992, The CP Group—one of the world’s largest agricultural conglomerates, established its first base of operation in India. Siam Kubota and Siam Cement Trading (SCT) have been in the trading business here since 2005. Thai Airways landed its first flight to South Asia in Chennai in 2005. Moreover, Thailand proudly has been serving as a popular filming location for Kollywood, the film industry of Tamil Nadu.

Thai companies have made significant contributions to support Tamil Nadu’s economic growth and development. CP Aquaculture has invested $82.5 million in feed mills and shrimp hatcheries in Tamil Nadu, from where it is exporting aquatic animal feeds to Sri Lanka and Australia. CP now employs over 1,000 local workers. In three months, CP will begin building its cold storage warehouse. Siam Cement Group (SCG) Trading, a global firm with a solid reputation for good governance, has contributed 4.6 billion rupees to Thai-India bilateral trade. Siam Kubota, Thailand’s premier agricultural machinery manufacturer, is helping Tamil Nadu farmers increase their productivity through the introduction of latest and fuel-efficient trackers and other equipments. With daily flights from Chennai to Bangkok, Thai Airways now carries about 10 % of all passengers traveling from India to Thailand each year.

Realizing the dynamic potential of Tamil Nadu, CP Aquaculture is planning to further invest in cold storage and cold chain logistics, which will enable it to export frozen shrimps from Tamil Nadu. SCG Trading is looking to diversify and expand its trading business with local partners. Particularly, SCG wants to source and export cement crinkle from Tamil Nadu. Thai real estate company, Pruksa, which is already building affordable homes for the middle class in Bangalore, will soon be in Chennai. Ambassador Pisan also informs that the Thai construction company, Italian-Thai PLC (better known in India as ITD) is ready to help Tamil Nadu build stronger infrastructure.

The Chief Minister welcomes news of Thai companies’ active participation in Tamil Nadu. She promised to provide adequate power supplies for Thai companies’ manufacturing plants as well as help them sort out working visa issues. Additionally, she granted permission to the Royal Thai Consulate, Chennai to organize “Destination Thailand 2011” at Anna Centenary Library on 19-20 August.

As of 5 August 2011, the Tamil Nadu Government has announced plans to create exclusive industrial estates to attract investors from Thailand, among others.