Finnish Economic Minister arrives to Thailand

H.E. Mr. Mika Lintilä, Minister of Economic Affairs of Finland is leading an official visit to Thailand on 20−22 August 2018 with a Finnish business delegation.

On 20 August Minister Mika Lintilä and Ambassador Satu Suikkari-Kleven welcomed the delegation of 18 Finnish companies to Thailand. The main purpose of the visit is to promote cooperation in the fields of energy, digitalization and bioeconomy. The visit provides also Thai media with an excellent opportunity to get better acquainted with Finnish expertise in these areas.

The Finnish delegation is particularly interested in opportunities arising from Thailand’s plans to become a hub of digitalization in South-East Asia. Finland has become a forerunner in digital innovations and in the development of smart cities. Paperless government processes, cashless payment systems, mobile e-services for citizens related to health, use of utilities etc. are everyday things in Finland.

Finnish companies are also interested in the development of the energy sector in Thailand, especially with regard to sustainable technologies, smart grids and bioeconomy. In Finland, already 40 % of energy is produced from renewable sources. Finland is a leading country in developing biomass processes and it is also known for its clean municipal waste-to-energy solutions: less than 5 % of municipal waste ends up in landfills, the rest is used for recycling or energy production.

Minister Lintilä and the business delegation will meet with a number of representatives of the Thai Government, municipal authorities and other institutions. In addition to furthering economic cooperation, the official meetings provide Minister Lintilä with an opportunity to raise issues in line with the conclusions of the EU Foreign Affairs Council on Thailand in December 2017. Finland, together with the whole EU, stands ready to support Thailand on its path back to democracy. The EU’s Free Trade Agreement negotiations with Thailand may be resumed once a democratically elected civilian government has been installed.

On Tuesday 21 August, Minister Lintilä will give the opening address at an Investor Workshop organised by the EEP Mekong Programme, which is funded by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. On Wednesday 22 August, Minister and the delegation will attend the Thai-Finnish Digital Day, organised in cooperation with Thailand’s Digital Economy Promotion Agency. Finland and Thailand will sign a Memorandum of Understanding on digital and communication technologies to promote cooperation between the countries and the operating conditions of enterprises reciprocally.

Companies represented in the business delegation: Airbus Defence and Space Oy, BC Platforms, Chempolis Oy, CS Control Software Oy, Ductor Oy, Evolta Oy, Mediconsult, Mirasys Oy, Nokia Solutions and Networks, Satel Oy, St1Renewable Energy Ltd., The Synergy Company Finland Oy, Trimble, Valmet Co. Ltd., Valoe Corporation, Watrec Ltd., Wirepas Oy and Wärtsilä Corporation.

Source: Embassy of Finland in Bangkok

About Joakim Persson

Freelance business and lifestyle photojournalist

View all posts by Joakim Persson

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *