Thailand woos Indian IT pros

Thailand welcomed 'knowledge workers' from India and is keen on a partnership with New Delhi in helping the South East Asian country emulate the domestic economy's success in the outsourcing business, a top Thailand trade representative said in Chennai on Thursday.

"We want knowledge workers from India. We want them to train our people in IT and other knowledge-based skills...we wanted multinational companies to use Thailand as a hub for their R&D activities," Prachuab Chaiyasarn, Thailand trade representative and head of Thai Negotiating Team on Indo-Thai Free Trade Area, told a seminar, jointly organised by FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industries) and Royal Thai Embassy, in Chennai.

Companies like Toyota, Honda and Ford were setting up their R&D centres in Thailand, he said, adding the ambition of the country was to become the "brain nest for the next 20 years."

He said Thailand was keen on "importing brain workers" from India to educate its people, especially on IT skills.

"We know we cannot do this overnight," Chaiyasarn said.

The Indo-Thai FTA, which came into effect in September 2004 on 82 items as per the Early Harvest Scheme*, saw an increase of over 70 per cent in the bilateral trade, he said.

India should not be deterred by the "aftershocks" following tariff reduction on products on the Early Harvest Scheme.

"Both countries should resolve to deepen their trade engagement to optimise the benefits under the FTA," he said.

Chaiyasan said Thailand also wanted steel and aluminium alloy from India.

*Under the Early Harvest Scheme, the two countries will phase out tariffs on 82 items in three phases, by September 1, 2006.

The scheme marks the implementation of first phase of FTA wherein tariffs are reduced on select items. From 2006, both countries will have a duty-free trade regime on 82 items. The second phase of FTA will begin after that for both sides to have a Free Trade Area by 2010.

As per the timetable agreed upon, negotiations for FTA in services and investment have to be concluded by January 2006. The framework for establishing FTA was signed on October 9, 2003.