Page 10 - ASEAN BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT SUMMIT 2019

10 ABIS 2019

Message from

Chairman

The Federation of Thai Industries

The assumption of Thailand as the Chair of ASEAN and ASEAN Business Advisory
Council (ASEAN-BAC) is a great opportunity for Thailand to take a leading role to promote
trade and investment ties in the region and drive the potential of the business community
as a partner in building the economy that is conducive to the growth of ASEAN in the years
ahead.
I would like to extend my appreciation to ASEAN-BAC for organizing the ASEAN Business
and Investment Summit (ABIS) 2019, which serves as a platform for the business community
to engage with the economic leaders, business leaders, high-profile entrepreneurs and key
decision-makers who are shaping and influencing ASEAN economies. It also provides an
ideal platform to identify, discuss and present solutions for pressing issues that affect the
region’s economic activities, investment attractiveness and business potential to further
facilitate ideas to deepen ASEAN’s economic integration by incorporating business and
investment opportunities. The partnership between the public and private sectors is a
concrete collaboration to help ASEAN reach its goals and aspirations.
I am confident that ABIS 2019 will be a solid platform which generates ideas, practical
advice, and policy recommendations, as well as intangible perspectives for ASEAN. This year
we have set the theme “Empowering ASEAN 4.0” which has signified the importance of
technology and innovation as the main engines to push ASEAN forward the integrated and
digitalized community. Thus I encourage everyone to take your roles to drive ASEAN toward
a prosperous and innovative era.
I wish you a fruitful summit.

Supant Mongkolsuthree
Chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries