By a Special Correspondent
BANGKOK : Thailand investors are keen to establish an export processing zone in
Sri Lanka. This is mainly for re-export, disclosed Ambassador of Sri
Lanka to the Kingdom of Thailand, Wijayanthi Edirisinghe.
Sri Lanka has Free Trade Agreements with countries like India and
Pakistan, and Thai manufacturers could use these to get tax benefits
when investing in and re-exporting from Sri Lanka.
She told a team of Sri Lankan Journalists during a media visit
arranged by Thai Airways via their General Sales Agent, Mac Holdings
(Pvt) Ltd, that she has already met Thai Business Chambers and
proposed this idea. “They are very keen to pursue this.”
She also said that the Thai-Sri Lankan Free Trade Agreement will be
implemented soon after the Sri Lankan government reviews it again.
“This too would be another positive feature for Thai investors.”
She told a team of Sri Lankan Journalists during a media visit
arranged by Thai Airways via their General Sales Agent, Mac Holdings,
that the SLTFTA, leading to the FTA, was signed in February 2024 and
received Cabinet Approval. This good connectivity is also a plus point
for investing in a Zone in Sri Lanka.
The Ambassador said that Thai Airways flies daily to Sri Lanka along
with Thai Air Asia and SriLankan today, making Sri Lanka connections
easier.
She also said that Tourist arrivals from Thailand to Sri Lanka are
gradually increasing. The number of tourist arrivals from January to
April 2025 was 3,467, representing a 16.2% increase compared to 2024,
which recorded 2,983 arrivals.
“This is a strong indicator of continued growth, with numbers rapidly
approaching the levels seen before the pandemic in 2019.”
“She also thanked Thai Airways and MAC for actively promoting Sri
Lanka as a destination.”
The ambassador said that with Thailand imposing the ‘Free Visa
Arrival’ policy, one can observe more Sri Lankan arrivals to Thailand.
Caption:
Senior Executive – Marketing, Branding, Media and Communication MAC
Holdings (Private) Limited Suraj Wickramasinghe with Ambassador,
Wijayanthi Edirisinghe,
