Bangkok: The Prime Minister emphasized cooperation between the public and private sectors to promote Thailand FastPass and reduce obstacles for businesses. Today, at the Grand Riverside Ballroom on the 10th floor of the Avani Plus Riverside Hotel, Charoen Nakhon Road, Thonburi District, Bangkok, Ms. Lalida Periswiwatana, Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, revealed that Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, presided over and delivered the opening remarks at the 3rd APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) meeting of 2026.
According to Thai News Agency, the Prime Minister welcomed participants from APEC member economies to Bangkok, stating that every meeting of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) yields valuable policy recommendations that are subsequently developed into regional policies. Therefore, ABAC is a crucial mechanism within APEC that truly reflects the realities of business operations into the government policy-making process.
The Prime Minister noted that the business sector best understands which measures are practical. Therefore, the government prioritizes listening to private sector feedback. Over the past several months, the government has continuously invited senior executives and business leaders to discussions at Government House, posing the simple question: "What are the obstacles that make investment, business expansion, or job creation difficult?" Often, the answer wasn't additional incentive measures, but rather the reduction of unnecessary procedures and barriers.
The current business environment is increasingly complex, with geopolitical uncertainties continuing to impact business decision-making. These challenges cannot be solved by the government alone, and businesses cannot operate at their full potential without a conducive investment environment. Therefore, collaboration between the public and private sectors is crucial for achieving sustainable growth.
One of the government's key policies is to make Thailand a high-quality investment destination. This has been achieved through the Thailand FastPass project, which aims to facilitate investment by reducing redundant procedures, improving coordination between government agencies, and enabling quality investment projects to be implemented more quickly, transparently, and with greater predictability.
At the regional level, the strength of supply chains relies on trust, clear and transparent regulations, efficient logistics systems, and cooperation among economies to maintain open markets, even during challenging times. Therefore, it is crucial to collectively strengthen regional supply chains to make them more interconnected, diverse, and resilient.
The government supports the conclusion of high-quality free trade agreements (FTAs) because long-term investment requires confidence, which stems from clear regulations, fair competition, and easier market access. FTAs are not merely legal documents, but mechanisms that help build confidence in businesses to decide where to invest, produce, or expand their operations.
In closing, the Prime Minister stated that APEC's strength lies in linking government policies with the real-world experiences of the business sector, which is more important than ever. He emphasized that feedback from the business sector is valuable and that the government needs to continuously listen. He looks forward to feedback from ABAC and is ready to push for concrete implementation to collaboratively create an environment conducive to investment, trade expansion, and the sustainable improvement of the quality of life for people in the Asia-Pacific region.