BANGKOK, Jan 27 — Investment in projects seeking Board of Investment (BoI) promotional privileges exceeded Bt2 trillion last year and provided a peak for nearly five decades.
Hirunya Suchinai, acting BoI secretary-general, said there were 3,469 projects with combined investment of Bt2.19 trllion.
In December alone, 2,092 projects were proposed seeking BoI promotional privileges and their combined investment amounted to Bt1.42 tillion.
Most projects involved business expansion and were proposed before new rules of promotional privileges took effect.
Ms Hirunya said the number of projects rose by 73 per cent and their value soared by 117 per cent from figures in 2013.
The most common group of projects were services and infrastructure, followed by chemical and plastic products and paper, and the group of automobiles, auto parts and machinery.
She commented that the number of projects seeking promotional privileges rose in December because most investors already had business expansion plans and did not want to lose privileges under the new policies of BOI that took effect on Jan 1.
This year BOI prefers projects which develop Thai economy and industries, research, development and product design.
It focuses more on the values of investment projects than their number and investment figures.
Besides, BoI identified targets in its overseas road shows to match its new policies included research and development firms and advanced electronics companies, Ms Hirunya said. (MCOT online news)
