Nghe An is becoming a destination for Thai businesses.

(Baonghean) - With natural advantages and preferential mechanisms and policies, Nghe An is gradually proving to be an attractive destination in the eyes of foreign investors, including many enterprises from the Kingdom of Thailand.

» Nghe An will start construction of billion-dollar industrial park in October

Hemaraj Billion Dollar Project

On August 8 and 9, the Thai Investment Commission led by Mr. Chokedee Kaewang - Deputy Secretary General, along with nearly 60 enterprises from the land of smiles, visited, exchanged and surveyed the investment environment in Nghe An province.

The reason for this event is due to a "strange encounter" nearly 2 years ago, when the Federation of Thai Industries organized a delegation of more than 40 businesses to visit and work in President Ho Chi Minh's hometown of Vietnam in November 2015, connecting investment between Hemaraj Group and Nghe An province.

Representatives of Thai enterprises asked questions during a visit to Royal Foods Company Limited - one of the Thai enterprises operating effectively in Nghe An. Photo: Thu Giang

The “sweet fruit” of that business trip is the “billion-dollar project” of the Industrial Park in Nghe An invested by Hemaraj Group/WHA Hemaraj Cienco 4 Joint Stock Company with a scale of 3,200 hectares in Nghi Thuan and Nghi Long communes, Nghi Loc district, expected to start phase 1 at the end of this year, complete and hand over land to the first customers in early 2018.

As a pioneering Thai enterprise in surveying and implementing investment in industrial park infrastructure in Nghe An, understanding the benefits of enterprises if they know how to take advantage of the advantages and incentives of the North Central region, as well as wanting to contribute to Nghe An's investment promotion activities, Hemaraj Company has become a bridge to invite the Investment Committee and Thai enterprises to personally "see for themselves".

Hemaraj Industrial Park project planning phase 1. Photo: PV

At the meeting with the People's Committee of Nghe An province, the delegation had the opportunity to listen to the provincial leaders present an overview of the outstanding features of the locality, especially emphasizing the advantage of strategic geographical location as the center of the North Central region, with a long coastline, a market of about 13 million people, converging all factors of transport infrastructure such as roads, railways, aviation, seaports, etc., which are being paid attention to building and upgrading regularly to serve investment, production and business activities.

2 hour Q&A session

On this occasion, the delegation was also provided with information by representatives of provincial departments and branches, clarifying Nghe An's preferential investment policies for enterprises, tax rates and conditions for exemption and reduction of corporate income tax, salary policies, investment attraction orientation, etc.

To “see with my own eyes and hear with my own ears” and verify once again the introductions about Nghe An, more than 60 members of the working group made a field survey at the land where the Hemaraj Industrial Park project was implemented and the headquarters of Royal Foods Co., Ltd. in Nam Cam Industrial Park - one of 12 Thai enterprises that are effectively investing in Nghe An. In particular, the nearly 2-hour Q&A session between representatives of Thai investors and leaders of Nghe An province right at the Royal Foods headquarters helped the two sides understand each other better; opening up new investment and cooperation opportunities.

Chart of 5 countries investing FDI in Nghe An in the period 2011-2016. Graphics: Nam Phong

Mr. Audsitti Sroithong - Senior Investment Promotion Specialist of the Foreign Investment Promotion Department, Board of Investment of Thailand - the agency representing the voice of Thai enterprises expressed his interest in the favorable conditions, available advantages of Nghe An province as well as the mechanisms and policies "paving the way" for investment activities to take place smoothly.

He questioned whether Thai businesses coming to Nghe An would spend a lot of time, have to work with many units, complete cumbersome administrative procedures to apply for investment certificates and investment licenses, and was affirmed by Vice Chairman of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee Le Ngoc Hoa: "Nghe An is promoting administrative reform, and foreign investors who want to learn about the investment environment, complete procedures to apply for investment licenses, etc. only need to go through the one-stop department of Nghe An Provincial Investment Promotion and Support Center, with the aim of simplifying procedures and documents, creating the most favorable conditions for investors".

This live Q&A session can be considered an effective "promotion program", satisfying the questions and concerns of businesses in the delegation, and the whole hall resounded with enthusiastic applause when listening to the thoughts of Thai businessman Karn Chaiwanichkit - Deputy Director of Thai Corp International Vietnam, one of the major shareholders of Royal Foods:

“From the perspective of a shareholder of a Thai enterprise that has invested in Nghe An, I see this as a favorable environment, with many incentives, timely attention and support from the government for investors. Besides, I think that once Hemaraj - one of the leading corporations in Thailand has pioneered, carefully surveyed many locations and finally chosen Nghe An as a stopover, built a modern industrial park, understood and met the psychology and aspirations of Thai businessmen, then why are businesses still hesitating to choose this place as a destination for their cash flow to make a profit?”.

Representatives of Nghe An Province Investment Promotion and Support Center discussed with Thai enterprises at the site of Hemaraj Industrial Park Project. Photo: Thu Giang

The trip was a great success, leaving an impression in the hearts of businesses about Nghe An, which is growing strongly, striving to improve the investment and business environment and always adhering to the principle of accompanying businesses and investors to remove difficulties and obstacles in the production and business process. Taking advantage of such opportunities and paying attention to grasping other opportunities in the future, Nghe An is proactively welcoming the potential investment wave from Thailand, as well as other countries in the region and the world.

Thu Giang