Thai telecommunications tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra, the most likely successor to Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai in the Jan. 6 general election, on Tuesday called on Japan to help his possible administration pull Thailand out of poverty.
"My government would be delighted to invite Japanese investors to participate in reshaping Thailand under the leadership of (my) Thai Rak Thai Party, especially in poverty eradication," Thaksin told a group of visiting Japanese journalists.
He added that Thailand needs to learn from Japan's experience in combating poverty after World War II.
Thaksin indicated that the Thai Rak Thai Party, or the Thais Love Thais Party, would shift Thailand's investment promotion policy to an "incentive oriented" one, saying negotiations on investment privileges would be "highly flexible."