In a statement from Jakarta, Tuesday, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto stated that Indonesia also promises infrastructure development through collaborative projects in transportation, energy, and urban development to support investment.
"I invite Thai businessmen to explore the opportunities offered by Indonesia and join us in shaping a prosperous future for our country and the ASEAN region," Hartarto remarked during the CEO Forum with Thailand Businesses held in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday (May 19).
In his speech, the minister noted that global trade has become increasingly unpredictable, and Indonesia has accelerated efforts to reform trade and investment policies, ease regulations, and strengthen bilateral relations.
He also highlighted the fundamental strength of the ASEAN economy.
In 2024, ASEAN recorded a growth rate of 4.8 percent, supported by household consumption and investment in leading sectors such as electric vehicles, data centers, and semiconductors.
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ASEAN's total merchandise trade increased by about 8.9 percent, reaching US$3,841 billion. Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows totaled US$234 billion, and the ASEAN tourism sector experienced significant expansion in 2024, with an estimated 126.5 million foreign tourist arrivals.
ASEAN's economic expansion is estimated to grow by 4.7 percent in 2025 amid external risks, including uncertainty over US trade policy.
"Therefore, Indonesia is opening up strategic opportunities for Thai businessmen in leading sectors, including mineral resource downstreaming, electric vehicle ecosystems, digital infrastructure, and data centers," Hartarto explained.
Economic relations between Indonesia and Thailand have shown significant growth. In 2024, Indonesia's exports to Thailand reached around US$7.7 billion, with the main commodities including coal, automotive parts, and steel.
Meanwhile, imports from Thailand reached US$9.7 billion, dominated by products such as rice, sugar cane, automotive parts, and machinery.
During the 2020-2024 period, Thailand's investment reached US$1.06 billion across 1,800 projects in various sectors, including non-metallic minerals, agriculture, plantations, rubber, plastics, energy, warehousing, and logistics services.
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Translator: Bayu Saputra, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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