Japanese investors urge government to help resolve industrial project suspension

BANGKOK, Oct 10 (TNA) – Key Japanese investors in Thailand have been affected by the recent Central Administrative Court injunction putting 76 industrial projects in the country’s largest industrial estate on temporary hold, according to the Japanese Chamber of Commerce (JCC) in Bangkok. JCC president Yo Jitsukata said some of the chamber’s members have been negatively affected by the order against their new investment projects and are concerned that the order will impact on other firms intending to invest in the Map Ta Phut industrial estate in the eastern seaboard province of Rayong. Some of the firms may be forced, eventually, to close parts of their business ventures due to the shortage of components and processed raw materials they would otherwise receive from opening the new plants, Mr. Jitsukata said. On September 29 the court ordered all 76 industrial ventures in the Map Ta Phut estate to temporarily halt operations amid local residents and NGO’s continuing concern about critical environmental and health impacts. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva earlier this week said the case is not over because the government has appealed the court’s order. He said the government wants development to proceed, to boost investor confidence, but the quality of life hardship and health concerns the people face from implementation of the projects with inadequate environmental protection must also be recognised. Mr. Jitsukata said the JCC hoped that the problem could be resolved as soon as possible so that the halted projects could proceed. Japanese investors, said Mr. Jitsukata, give importance to environmental protection concerns and have cooperated with the government in developing the Thai economy along with controlling environmental pollution by using their expertise and the same technologies used in Japan in this country.