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Chutinush Taksinapinunt: Exclusive interview with Khun Teera Phutrakul, the founder of JT Financial Planners, has been the leading force in the investment management industry in Thailand for over 25 years.

He was Executive Chairman of Finansa Asset Management from 2005 to 2010 and prior to that President & CEO of SCB Asset Management and Managing Director of Thai Capital Management.

He also served as Chairman of the Association of Investment Management Companies, AIMC and is currently on the board of the Thai Financial Planners Association, TFPA as well as the current Chairman of the Business & Economic Committee, The American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand.

Q : What is the biggest opportunity in Thailand?

A : Thailand was supposed to be the “Bread Basket of Asia” but that is no longer the case. Vietnam has overtaken us in terms of rice production and they now grow more coffee than Brazil! Rice has been heavily politicized with all the wrong policies such as price support/guarantee. As a result, our farmers are forever in debt and became less productive.

So the biggest challenges at the moment are healthcare sector and tourism. Medical Tourism in Thailand is very famous in world market especially middle-level income from American, European and Middle East region which is very huge market. We cannot compete against Korea or Taiwan on automobile parts or IT.