Thai diplomat cites importance of power to investors, traders

THAI Ambassador to the Philippines Prasas Prasasvinitchai said he will promote the Davao Region to businessmen and possible investors in Thailand even as he stressed the importance of stable supply of electricity as a sine qua non to an investment destination.

The Thai ambassador made the statement during a dinner-meeting with officials of Davao City, Compostela Valley and the Davao City

Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. at the Waterfront Insular Davao Hotel recently.

During the meeting, presentations on potential investment areas were made by Davao City Investment Promotion Center chief Jason Magnaye, Compostela Valley Gov. Arthur Uy, and DCCCII executive director Anne Abundo.

Prasas said Thailand has plenty of big corporations which can invest in the area including a multi-billion company engaged in waste management technology and other big ticket investors.

The ambassador, who said he knew a few Dabawenyos in the course of his studies and diplomatic work, advised Mindanaoans to always see to it that there is enough power supply for industries and business establishments intending to locate in the region.

"Power blackouts turn off investors," the diplomat said.

Aside from stable power supply, investors are also particular about infrastructure facilities in an investment destination.

The ambassador also said that the disaster caused by Typhoon Pablo in Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental reminded him of the tremendous loss of lives and damage to property and crops by super cyclone Nargis in Myanmar when he was assigned there as Ambassador of the Royal Kingdom of Thailand based in Thai capital city of Yangon in 2008.

Some 138,000 people died in that disaster with damage placed at US$10 billion. Cyclone Nargis was the second deadliest named cyclone of all time, the first being typhoon Nina which hit China in 1975 with fatalities reaching 129,000 people.

After viewing the audio visual production of the Pablo destruction by Governor Uy, the ambassador said he was impressed by the spirit shown by Comvalenyos in their willingness and unity to rebuild their lives. He said he witnessed the same thing happen in Myanmar which is now enjoying a tourism boom after the people quickly rose from the ruins and rebuilt their lives with the all-out support of the government.

Dabawenyos who attended the dinner included DCCCII president Daniel Lim and other chamber officers Antonio dela Cruz, John Gaisano and Antonio Ajero.

Commissioner Salem Demuna of the National Muslim Commission who knew the Thai ambassador for some time now headed the Philippine delegation in the dinner-meeting.

The following day, Ambassador Prasas paid a courtesy call on Davao City Mayor Sara Carpio and motored to Tagum City to meet with Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario where he also discussed possible investments and related topics.