CANBERRA: South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill says the state is looking to Southeast Asia to boost its economy, especially in view of the declining manufacturing sector.
Mr Weatherill is leading a delegation of up to 80 business people on an official tour of Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. He says the state should increase engagement with Southeast Asia’s economies.
“The push is that we need to rapidly transform the South Australian economy because international forces are already doing that in a negative way,” he told AAP. “So we need to grow those parts of the South Australian economy that have prospects for growth faster than the declining industries.”
He said the push into Asia was “the first expression” of a stronger engagement strategy. “This is the first substantial mission that we’ve sent pursuant to that strategy,” he said. The delegation’s main focus was food and beverage, education and training, healthcare services, and defence equipment.
One of the major agreements announced is between the Charoen Pokphand Group and South Australia-based Thomas Foods, with the Thai company investing in a meat-processing plant in the state.
Meanwhile SA’s Best and Global Food Group, a producer of dairy and seafood, is establishing a subsidiary in Bangkok as a base to sell into other Southeast Asian markets. “This is exactly the sort of investment that we should be pursuing,” Mr Weatherill told a business forum in Bangkok.
Newly appointed Thai Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said discussions were under way on the possibility of air services between Bangkok and Adelaide through Thai Airways International. “I hope also for more flights to Australia and get more support from the airline business,” Mr Arkhom told AAP.
He also pointed to opportunities for Australian engineering firms in Thailand’s 3.3 trillion baht ($A126 billion) infrastructure program, including rail and transport, over the next eight years.
But the visit was overshadowed by Monday’s bombing at a shrine in central Bangkok that killed more than 20 people and injured 123. Mr Weatherill said an “overwhelming majority” of the delegation had made the visit to Thailand, after visiting Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
“I think it’s allowed us to make a contribution to the support that Australia has expressed through our prime ninister for the people of Thailand,” he said. The business delegation was given a briefing by Department of Foreign Affairs officials on the issues of personal safety and security during the business forum.
