UN World Investment
Report 2010 released
PM Abhisit on Thailand's healthy FDI
situation
UNCTAD's World
Investment Report 2010: Investing in a low-carbon economy is available for free
download this week (See download page and press release).This UN report discusses recent trends in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) worldwide.
Today's article discusses FDI in Thailand.
Despite the recent global economic crisis, recent FDI trends in Thailand have recovered to pre-crisis levels and continue to grow.
Today's article begins after the vocabulary.
Foreign Direct Investment
(FDI) - investing
directly in production in another country, either by buying a company
there or establishing new operations of an existing business (See The
Economist's Glossary)
UNCTAD - United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the United Nations (UN) agency dealing with trade, investment and development issues (See Wikipedia)
low-carbon economy (LCE) - "an economy which has a minimal output of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions into the biosphere" which helps reduce harmful climate change (See Wikipedia)
press release - an official statement given to the media and journalists by companies and organizations that describes some recent event, achievement or product of importance (See Wikipedia)
global - throughout the world ทั่วโลก
crisis - an urgent, difficult or dangerous situation วิกฤต
UNCTAD - United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the United Nations (UN) agency dealing with trade, investment and development issues (See Wikipedia)
low-carbon economy (LCE) - "an economy which has a minimal output of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions into the biosphere" which helps reduce harmful climate change (See Wikipedia)
press release - an official statement given to the media and journalists by companies and organizations that describes some recent event, achievement or product of importance (See Wikipedia)
global - throughout the world ทั่วโลก
crisis - an urgent, difficult or dangerous situation วิกฤต
Local News
Abhisit sees investment surge
Economy recovers well after financial crisis23/07/2010
Nareerat Wiriyapong
Thailand is in a good position to attract rebounding global foreign direct investments, thanks to the country's strong economic recovery, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva says.
Mr Abhisit on Thursday told the launch of the World Investment Report 2010 prepared by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) that Thailand is among Asian countries whose economies have recovered significantly from the global financial crisis.
investment
- taking your money and putting it into projects to make a profit or
earn interest (buying stock shares, bonds, real estate)
surge - a sudden increase in something การเพิ่มขึ้นอย่างรวดเร็ว
crisis - an urgent, difficult or dangerous situation วิกฤต
in a good position to Y - in a good situation that makes Y possible
attract - to cause someone to be interested in something ดึงดูดความสนใจ
recovery - when the economy gets better (more jobs, higher incomes) การฟื้นฟูสภาพ
launch - an event to celebrate or introduce something new การเริ่มปฏิบัติการ, การออกตัวของสินค้า
recovered - became fit and healthy again ฟื้นฟูร่างกาย
significantly - in an important way อย่างสำคัญ
surge - a sudden increase in something การเพิ่มขึ้นอย่างรวดเร็ว
crisis - an urgent, difficult or dangerous situation วิกฤต
in a good position to Y - in a good situation that makes Y possible
attract - to cause someone to be interested in something ดึงดูดความสนใจ
recovery - when the economy gets better (more jobs, higher incomes) การฟื้นฟูสภาพ
launch - an event to celebrate or introduce something new การเริ่มปฏิบัติการ, การออกตัวของสินค้า
recovered - became fit and healthy again ฟื้นฟูร่างกาย
significantly - in an important way อย่างสำคัญ
Global investments have shown clear signs of a rebound. Thailand and Asia have been perceived as the main locations for world investments and have played major roles in driving the global economic recovery," he said.
Figures from the Board of Investment (BoI) indicate that foreign direct investments (FDI) into Thailand rebounded from late 2009 and continued to grow in the first half of this year.
clear
- easy to see and understand
clear signs of Y - easy to see that Y is happening
rebound - start to rise again after falling การฟื้นตัวของเศรษฐกิจ, เพิ่มขึ้นอีกครั้ง หลังจากมีการปรับลดราคาไป
Board of Investment (BoI)
indicate - show
rebounded - increased after decreasing (bounce = go down and then go up)
late 2009 - the last part of the year 2009
clear signs of Y - easy to see that Y is happening
rebound - start to rise again after falling การฟื้นตัวของเศรษฐกิจ, เพิ่มขึ้นอีกครั้ง หลังจากมีการปรับลดราคาไป
Board of Investment (BoI)
indicate - show
rebounded - increased after decreasing (bounce = go down and then go up)
late 2009 - the last part of the year 2009
FDI has arrived from major investors such as Japan and from other countries which want to step up their presence here, Mr Abhisit said.
The tourism sector, which was hard hit by the recent political turmoil, has remained an area attracting foreign investments.
But investments over the past month are not only in sectors in which Thailand is a major player. They also are in industries which have the potential to grow, he said.
presence
- when someone or something is in a place การอยู่ในสถานที่หนึ่ง
(ของบุคคล)
step up their presence - increase their business activity in this place
sector - a part of the economy (public sector = government, private sector = all businesses, household sector = families and consumers, banking sector,...) (See Wikipedia) ภาคเศรษฐกิจของประเทศ
turmoil - a situation of great disorder, confusion and chaos ความปั่นป่วน, การจราจล
potential - possible or likely for event or situation to happen ความเป็นไปได้
step up their presence - increase their business activity in this place
sector - a part of the economy (public sector = government, private sector = all businesses, household sector = families and consumers, banking sector,...) (See Wikipedia) ภาคเศรษฐกิจของประเทศ
turmoil - a situation of great disorder, confusion and chaos ความปั่นป่วน, การจราจล
potential - possible or likely for event or situation to happen ความเป็นไปได้
Mr Abhisit said Thailand's investment policies have focused more on promoting a low-carbon emission economy. Projects which are less harmful to the environment and help tackle global warming have been well promoted under the investment policies of the BoI.
We will focus on protecting the environment and creating a balance of economic development and taking care of people's lives," he said.
emission
- release into the air and atmosphere of a gas or radiation
low-carbon emission
environment - the natural world of land, sea, plants, and animals
tackle - to make an organised and determined attempt to deal with a problem จัดการกับปัญหา, แก้ปัญหา
global warming
promoted - moved to a higher position in the organization
focus - think about and work on one thing (rather than waste time on many), concentrate time and attention on one thing
development - the gradual growth and formation of something
low-carbon emission
environment - the natural world of land, sea, plants, and animals
tackle - to make an organised and determined attempt to deal with a problem จัดการกับปัญหา, แก้ปัญหา
global warming
promoted - moved to a higher position in the organization
focus - think about and work on one thing (rather than waste time on many), concentrate time and attention on one thing
development - the gradual growth and formation of something
The Unctad report said Southeast Asia nations are among the beneficiaries of recovering global investments together with South and East Asian economies.
South, East and Southeast Asia remain priority investment destinations," the report said. "Compared to FDI inflows to other parts of the world, those to South, East and Southeast Asia were less affected by the crisis, dropping by a modest 17% to $233 billion [7.45 trillion baht] in 2009.
beneficiaries
- people who receive money from some programme
priority investment destinations - important places to make investments at
FDI inflows - FDI coming into a country
priority - something important that must be done first สี่งที่สำคัญเป็นลำดับแรก, การให้ลำดับความสำคัญ
modest - not large in size or amount ไม่มากมาย
priority investment destinations - important places to make investments at
FDI inflows - FDI coming into a country
priority - something important that must be done first สี่งที่สำคัญเป็นลำดับแรก, การให้ลำดับความสำคัญ
modest - not large in size or amount ไม่มากมาย
The region's relatively strong performance has helped reshape the global FDI landscape as this part of Asia now accounts for one-fifth of FDI inflows worldwide.
Outflows from the region fell only 8% to US$153 billion while intra-regional FDI gained ground. The great majority of investment policies are aimed at promoting foreign investments while countries such as Thailand have eased conditions for outward FDI.
performance
- how well or badly something works (or whether an investment provides
a reasonable return, whether an ec)
intra- within
intra-regional - within the region
gained ground - increased
majority - more than 50 percent of a group เสียงส่วนมาก, คนส่วนใหญ่
the great majority of - most of
eased conditions - reduced laws, regulations and restrictions (making the activity easier)
outward FDI - FDI made in another foreign country (investing outside your own country)
intra- within
intra-regional - within the region
gained ground - increased
majority - more than 50 percent of a group เสียงส่วนมาก, คนส่วนใหญ่
the great majority of - most of
eased conditions - reduced laws, regulations and restrictions (making the activity easier)
outward FDI - FDI made in another foreign country (investing outside your own country)
Globally, FDI inflows plummeted by 37% worldwide to $1.114 trillion during recession-plagued 2009, following a 16% drop in 2008. Outflows plunged some 43% to $1.1 trillion.
The prospects for FDI this year are relatively decent, with an expected pick-up to over $1.2 trillion. Estimates for 2011 are $1.3 trillion to 1.5 trillion and heading back towards the 2008 level of $1.6 trillion to 2 trillion in 2012, the report said
During the crisis, large emerging markets continued to perform well with the US remaining the biggest recipient of F# in 2009 followed by China. Three of the six top destinations for FDI - China, Hong Kong and Russia - are now developing or transition economies.
plummet
- fall by a large amount suddenly ลดลงมากอย่างรวดเร็ว
recession - a period of reduced economic activity and growth, starts with at least two quarters of negative GDP growth ภาวะเศรษฐกิจถดถอย (See Wikipedia and list of recessions in US)
plagued - caused a lot of problems for someone or something for a long period of time ทำให้ยุ่งยาก ลำบากมานาน
plunge - fall by a large amount suddenly ลดลงมากอย่างรวดเร็ว (same as "plummet" above)
prospects - the possibility that things will happen, especially something good (See glossary) ความเป็นไปได้
decent - good, meets acceptable standard or quality
relatively decent - pretty good (not great but not bad either)
pick-up - growing faster, growing faster
expected - believe will happen คาดว่า (จะเกิดขึ้น)
transition - change, the process of changing from one situation, form or state to another ช่วงการเปลี่ยนแปลง
transition economies - another way to say: developing economies (synonym)
recession - a period of reduced economic activity and growth, starts with at least two quarters of negative GDP growth ภาวะเศรษฐกิจถดถอย (See Wikipedia and list of recessions in US)
plagued - caused a lot of problems for someone or something for a long period of time ทำให้ยุ่งยาก ลำบากมานาน
plunge - fall by a large amount suddenly ลดลงมากอย่างรวดเร็ว (same as "plummet" above)
prospects - the possibility that things will happen, especially something good (See glossary) ความเป็นไปได้
decent - good, meets acceptable standard or quality
relatively decent - pretty good (not great but not bad either)
pick-up - growing faster, growing faster
expected - believe will happen คาดว่า (จะเกิดขึ้น)
transition - change, the process of changing from one situation, form or state to another ช่วงการเปลี่ยนแปลง
transition economies - another way to say: developing economies (synonym)
(Source: Bangkok Post, Abhisit sees investment surge, Economy recovers well after financial crisis, 23/07/2010, Nareerat Wiriyapong, link)
