Recently, Mr. Atsuhiko Yatabe, Special Assistant to Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs led a delegation of high ranking officials from Japan to visit NESDB, as to gather basic information on Thailand for policy setting of Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Thailand.
On This occasion, Dr.Sumet Tativejkul, NESDB's Secretary-General, represented NESDB in greeting The Japanese delegates, Delivering a welcoming address, Dr. Sumet said that, in the past, Japan considered Thailand a lower middle-income country. Japan had provided assistance to Thailand in terms of loans and technical co-operation until 1994, and, then, cut the foreign grants in construction and equipment when Thailand had achieved a certain level in national development.
Realizing that Thailand has had a remarkable success in economic and social development, the Japanese government slowed down its foreign aids from the amount of US$ 123.78 million during the Sixth Plan to US$ 58.3 million during the first three years of the Seventh Plan. However, Thailand still considers Japan its biggest donor country as the volume of aids amounted to 37.9 percent of the overall foreign grants estimates in 1995/1996. With respect to the Japanese policy, Thailand realizes that most of the cooperation efforts will be focused on four major areas which include infrastructure development, human resource development, natural resource and environmental conservation and rural and regional development.
On the top of that, the Japanese government has intended to participate in the Golden Jubilee Celebration of His Majester the King's Accession to the Throne by means of providing grant-in for the Royal Initiated Flood protection Project.
NESDB's Secretary-General further elaborated that besides bilateral cooperation, Thailand and Japan will cooperate in the partnership programme by providing support to other developing countries in two aspects. The first aspect is the Third Country Training Programme, as Japan will financially support other developing countries to dispatch officials to attend training programme in Thailand, and at the sametime Japan will co-operated with Thailand in sending experts to assist the third country, The Third Country Expert Programme is another support which is currently provided by the Japanese government, as to strengthen technical co-operation between Japan and Thailand.
Basically, Dr. Sumet added, Thailand has been receiving the tie- loan of about US$ 7,865.57 million from the Japanese Government through the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund (OECF) during 1967-1995. The most important sectors for development under the loan agreements were transportation, energy, agriculture and irrigation. OECF is the only source of bilateral loans which will not subject the recipient countries to buy goods and services from the donor country.
Both sides discussed the future framework of the short, medium and long-term economic and technical cooperation between Japan and Thailand. Thailand also needs assistance in the areas of policy research and technology research and development. Regarding the Thai-Japanese Economic and Technical Cooperation program for the neighboring countries, Thailand would ask Japan to buy needed equipment from Thailand.
During the Eighth Plan, the Thai Government will place special emphasis on human development, environmental protection, science and technology development as well as the alleviation of income disparities between urban and rural areas. All these issues are consistent with the foreign assistance policy of the Japanese government. Japan, in this regard, could contribute to the Eighth Plan's implementation, by providing assistance to carry out feasibility studies for project preparation.
Dr. Sumet Tantivejkul lastly stated that the Japanese delegation has shown great interest in the Thai-Japanese Economic and Technical Cooperation Program which would enable Thailand to provide assistance for other developing countries, especially those in the Greater Mekong Sub- Regional Economic Co-operation.
--Development News Bulletin, National Economic and Social Development Board, Volume 11, No. 3--
On This occasion, Dr.Sumet Tativejkul, NESDB's Secretary-General, represented NESDB in greeting The Japanese delegates, Delivering a welcoming address, Dr. Sumet said that, in the past, Japan considered Thailand a lower middle-income country. Japan had provided assistance to Thailand in terms of loans and technical co-operation until 1994, and, then, cut the foreign grants in construction and equipment when Thailand had achieved a certain level in national development.
Realizing that Thailand has had a remarkable success in economic and social development, the Japanese government slowed down its foreign aids from the amount of US$ 123.78 million during the Sixth Plan to US$ 58.3 million during the first three years of the Seventh Plan. However, Thailand still considers Japan its biggest donor country as the volume of aids amounted to 37.9 percent of the overall foreign grants estimates in 1995/1996. With respect to the Japanese policy, Thailand realizes that most of the cooperation efforts will be focused on four major areas which include infrastructure development, human resource development, natural resource and environmental conservation and rural and regional development.
On the top of that, the Japanese government has intended to participate in the Golden Jubilee Celebration of His Majester the King's Accession to the Throne by means of providing grant-in for the Royal Initiated Flood protection Project.
NESDB's Secretary-General further elaborated that besides bilateral cooperation, Thailand and Japan will cooperate in the partnership programme by providing support to other developing countries in two aspects. The first aspect is the Third Country Training Programme, as Japan will financially support other developing countries to dispatch officials to attend training programme in Thailand, and at the sametime Japan will co-operated with Thailand in sending experts to assist the third country, The Third Country Expert Programme is another support which is currently provided by the Japanese government, as to strengthen technical co-operation between Japan and Thailand.
Basically, Dr. Sumet added, Thailand has been receiving the tie- loan of about US$ 7,865.57 million from the Japanese Government through the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund (OECF) during 1967-1995. The most important sectors for development under the loan agreements were transportation, energy, agriculture and irrigation. OECF is the only source of bilateral loans which will not subject the recipient countries to buy goods and services from the donor country.
Both sides discussed the future framework of the short, medium and long-term economic and technical cooperation between Japan and Thailand. Thailand also needs assistance in the areas of policy research and technology research and development. Regarding the Thai-Japanese Economic and Technical Cooperation program for the neighboring countries, Thailand would ask Japan to buy needed equipment from Thailand.
During the Eighth Plan, the Thai Government will place special emphasis on human development, environmental protection, science and technology development as well as the alleviation of income disparities between urban and rural areas. All these issues are consistent with the foreign assistance policy of the Japanese government. Japan, in this regard, could contribute to the Eighth Plan's implementation, by providing assistance to carry out feasibility studies for project preparation.
Dr. Sumet Tantivejkul lastly stated that the Japanese delegation has shown great interest in the Thai-Japanese Economic and Technical Cooperation Program which would enable Thailand to provide assistance for other developing countries, especially those in the Greater Mekong Sub- Regional Economic Co-operation.
--Development News Bulletin, National Economic and Social Development Board, Volume 11, No. 3--