Binh Duong Province Continued Its Outreach
to Thai Investors in Thailand 

On June 23rd, 2010, in the morning from 9:00-11:00 am, Becamex Corp. of Binh Duong province arranged a seminar partnered with The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) at the Landmark Hotel’s function room. Mr. Chris Runckel, President of Runckel & Associates, spoke to 50 Thai companies on opportunities in Binh Duong province and Becamex's industrial parks and New City Center. Many seemed interested and wanted to visit the Binh Duong.   On June 23rd, 2010, in the afternoon from 1:00-3:00 pm, Becamex Corp. arranged a smaller seminar partnered with the Bangkok Bank at the Landmark Hotel’s function room. There were about 20 companies for this meeting. Several of the companies present expressed interest in investment and good questions were asked.   On June 24th, 2010, in the morning from 9:00-12:00 am, a team of Becamex Corp. had a factory visit.  The group traveled to the outskirts of Bangkok to visit a Thai Food factory that had already decided to expand to Vietnam. This is a very good company with successful history and strong leadership. The company is very interested in Binh Duong's industrial parks and the opportunities at the new township. On June 24th, 2010, in the afternoon from 1:00-3:00 pm, Becamex Corp. arranged a seminar partnered with the EXIM Bank of Thailand at the EXIM Bank’s function room. The Vice President came and attended the seminar with some of their clients that are interested in investment in Vietnam also attended a presentation by Chris and Soraya Runckel of Runckel & Associates who spoke on Binh Duong and the opportunities presented there.   At the same time of Becamex's series of seminars in Bangkok, the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI), on June 24th, visited Binh Duong province and Becamex.  The visit to Becamex to see it's industrial parks and new township was co-organized by the Institute of Asian Studies, Chulalongkorn University and the Thailand Board of Investment.  The delegation brought some investors from Thailand in the trip as well. About the Speaker:   Christopher W. Runckel, a former senior US diplomat who served in many counties in Asia, is a graduate of the University of Oregon and Lewis and Clark Law School. He served as Deputy General Counsel of President Gerald Ford’s Presidential Clemency Board. Mr. Runckel is the principal and founder of Runckel & Associates, a Portland, Oregon based consulting company that assists businesses expand business opportunities in Asia. (www.business-in-asia.com) Until April of 1999, Mr. Runckel was Minister-Counselor of the US Embassy in Beijing, China. Mr. Runckel lived and worked in Thailand for over six years. He was the first permanently assigned U.S. diplomat to return to Vietnam after the Vietnam War. In 1997, he was awarded the U.S. Department of States highest award for service, the Distinguished Honor Award, for his contribution to improving U.S.-Vietnam relations. Mr. Runckel is one of only two non-Ambassadors to receive this award in the 200-year history of the U.S. diplomatic service.