Maung Maung Kyaw, the organizer of the meeting and managing director of Global Business Link Co. Ltd, told Mizzima the delegation “will discuss what they want to order from us and what we will sell.” The trip is led by the Thailand Department of Industrial Promotion.

The thirty-six Thai business leaders represent sectors including medicine, electrical equipment, steel, food, plastics and household products, said Maung Maung Kyaw.
 
In September 2011, 40 Thai business persons led by Thailand’s Siam Commercial Bank chairman Kannikar Chalitapon met with Aung Naing Oo, the deputy director-general of Directorate of Investment and Company Administration.

Mizzima reported on Monday that some of Thailand’s top garment companies will move their operations to Burma in the coming year.

At least six leading garment manufacturers plan to set up shop to take advantage of lower wages by the second half of the year, according to an article in The Nation newspaper. The companies would hire up to 3,000 workers, officials said. More than one dozen of Thailand’s largest garment manufacturers have moved to neighboring countries, which offer a cheaper labour force.

The companies would start operations by investing about US$ 10 in each plant for a total of $60 million.

Thailand is already Burma’s second largest investor, following China. It is investing heavily in the oil and natural gas sector, and is expected to also take advantage of Burma’s cheaper labour force and its close proximity.

Vallop Vitanakorn, an adviser to the Thai Garment Manufacturers Association, said, “The general election on April 1 will show that Burma will not move backwards. This will ensure that the country will have a clearer policy to promote growth and revise rules and regulations to facilitate investment.”

Burma's labour costs are one-third lower than Thailand's, according to the article.

On February 17, Mizzima reported that The Thai auto industry is gearing up to sell more vehicles in Burma, following a visit by 40 Burmese automotive businessmen to Bangkok.

The joint secretary-general of the Burmese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Moe Kyaw, said the Burmese want to form business contacts in Thailand because of the growing demand for vehicles in their country.

The Burmese are especially interested in importing Thai pickups, in a market estimated to need 60,000 to 80,000 units per year, businessmen said.

Vehicles in Burma are highly expensive for most of its citizens. Car prices in Rangoon are among the highest in the world. A sports utility vehicle, imported for the equivalent of around US$ 50,000, goes for US$ 200,000, sources said. Illegally imported unregistered cars are cheaper – typically about half the price of registered cars.

The country has begun a reform process of opening up to foreign countries and international corporations, in an effort to modernize its economy and laws, which have been among the most repressive in the world.

Burma remains one of the least developed countries in the world.

The total trade value between Thailand and Burma averages US$ 800 million per year. Thailand is the second-largest importing source for Burma after China.