Message From Our President

Message From Our President

Dear esteemed members,

The year 2018 is drawing to an end and on behalf of the board of the EABC, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to our members and partners for their continued support and cooperation throughout the year 2018! For my board colleagues, our team and me it was a very busy year as we have invested lots of time and efforts into the realignment of our organization and the further strengthening of the EABC to meet the expectations of our esteemed members and partners.

The European Union is Thailand`s third biggest trade partner after China and Japan. Trade between the European Union and Thailand amounted to some 37 billion Euro in 2017 and that is why we strongly believe in the necessity of a strong and unified voice of the European business in Thailand. In March the EABC hosted a luncheon with H.E. Mr. Pirkka Tapiola, Ambassador of the European Union to the Kingdom of Thailand during which Ambassador Tapiola has shared his view on the economic relations- and prospects between Thailand and the European Union. This luncheon was well accepted by our members and more of such events can be expected for 2019. The EABC position paper launch event took place in July. The positions and recommendations of our twelve working groups, representing the major industries were well received by the Royal Thai Government and the media interest was just great. In September we have invited to our first EABC networking event during which our members had the possibility to network and to enjoy themselves.

These are just some of the highlights of this year and besides that we have very much focused on our core focus advocacy. We had numerous very constructive meetings with Ministers and high-ranked representatives of the Royal Thai Government and other governmental bodies during which we have addressed- and discussed our positions- and recommendations in favor of the European business community in Thailand.

The year 2019 will be an exciting- and important year for the EABC. Topics like the upcoming elections, Thailand`s ASEAN chairmanship, the realization of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) will dominate our actions.
Our new member- and partnership schemes are granting an easy access for SME`s and -reflecting our interest in the further strengthening of our collaboration with the European Chambers. We will launch a new website, and besides all that we are planning numerous events, focusing on advocacy but also on networking opportunities.

On behalf of the board of the EABC I would like to wish you and your beloved ones a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!


Yours sincerely,

Stefan Molnar
President