PM, Western Digital discuss future investment opportunities
Leading manufacturer of hard disk drives expresses interest in upping its investment in Thailand during meeting with PM
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on Tuesday discussed future investment opportunities in Thailand with Western Digital (WD), a leading US-based manufacturer of hard disk drives and storage devices in Los Angeles.
Paetongtarn was in the United States this week to attend the 31st APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting and related meetings during November 10-18, government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub said.
In a meeting with Irving Tan, executive vice president for global operations and chief executive officer designate of WD, Paetongtarn thanked the company for having invested in Thailand continually in the past several years, adding that the Thai government is committed to expanding cooperation with US companies in key industries, including the digital economy.
She promised that the government will continue to eliminate obstacles and promote foreign investment that contributes to the country’s sustainable growth, her spokesperson said.
Tan insisted that WD viewed Thailand as an important manufacturing base, adding that the company is ready to cooperate with local universities in improving the skills of Thai workers and students, preparing them for the job market in the modern era.
The CEO designate added that WD is planning to open a new research and development centre in Bangkok soon.
Jirayu said both parties agreed that the digital economy is one of the driving forces behind the growth of a country’s economy. Paetongtarn underscored the government’s goal of making Thailand a digital hub in the region with the implementation of such policies as ‘Go Cloud First’, paperless e-government, and the promotion of alternative and clean energy.
“WD's senior executives agreed that Thailand is still a country with high investment potential, and that Thai people continue to have a strong preference for the company’s products,” said Tan. “This gives us confidence that, in the future, there will be further investments in various dimensions in Thailand.”
