Thursday, April 3, 2008

Asean-European Union free-trade agreement

Trade between Thailand and Sweden is worth more than $1 billion per year, with leading Swedish firms such as Volvo, Scania, Tetra Pak, Electrolux and Ericsson all prominently represented.

A free-trade pact would help reduce the price advantage now held by Japanese carmakers.

Swedish-made flexi-fuel cars could become available at competitive prices in Thailand under a trade pact. More than one-quarter of the cars used in Sweden are compatible with E85 gasohol, a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% petrol. Thailand this year has only just started using E20 fuel, consisting of 20% ethanol, but it wants to move quickly toward E85.

the Volvo C30 concept car, a hybrid electric system combined with an E85-compatible engine, showed how ''Swedish forward thinking'' and innovation could play a leading role in green technology.

Most Volvo cars sold in Thailand were produced locally.

read more in http://www.bangkokpost.com/Business/04Apr2008_biz35.php

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

six Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS)

GMS North-South Economic Corridor (NSEC), six countries sharing the Mekong River -- Laos, China, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand.

The Kunming-Chiang Khong road in the NSEC (Route 3 in Laos), which links China's Yunnan province with northern Thailand via Laos, the last remaining stretch of road in an overland route joining China's Beijing and Singapore is completed.

the establishment of transport corridors, power interconnection systems and telecommunications networks, improvement of infrastructure links, and measures to facilitate the cross-border movement of goods and services are look into and phase one of the GMS Information Superhighway Project completed.

read more from: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-03/31/content_7892681.htm