German-Thai Chamber of Commerce

AHK Thailand or the German-Thai Chamber of Commerce (GTCC) is a leading non-profit entity which promotes bilateral economic relations between Germany and Thailand. It is a member of the German Chambers of Commerce Worldwide Network (AHKs), with 126 locations in 86 countries around the world.[1]

Information file GTCC

History

In 1959 German businesses in Thailand founded a “German Business Group”. Such a business group proved to be too small for the occasion and therefore, soon led to the creation of bilateral Chamber of Commerce.[2]

The German-Thai Chamber of Commerce (GTCC) was officially founded by 57 German and Thai business representatives on 19 July 1962. The inauguration ceremony took place at the Erawan Hotel, Bangkok.[3] By 1965, the GTCC had grown to 100 member companies, and to around 300 during the following 20 years.[4] Since 2013, total membership has been oscillating around 500, making it one of the biggest foreign chambers of commerce in Thailand.

Tasks and Mission

The GTCC provides services to German and Thai companies, GTCC acts as a strategic partner between the two economies.

AHKs—including the GTCC in Bangkok – fulfill three main tasks on their locations. That is:

Board of Directors and Management

The Board of Directors includes 14 key figures in Bangkok’s business community, Thai, German and other Nationals. Ensuring that the services offered by the Chamber are efficient, comprehensive and up-to-date, the board sets the broad lines of Chamber policy. The current president of the German-Thai Chamber of Commerce is Mr. Phongsakdi Chakshuvej. The management of the GTCC has been newly appointed in 2015. Since July 2015, the Chamber is managed by the Executive Director Dr. Roland Wein and his Deputy Marius Mehner.[6]

Organization

The GTCC is structured into seven main departments, which are Administration, Corporate Communications, Consultant Services, German-Thai Dual Excellence Education (GTDEE), Finance, Membership Management & CRM, as well as Trade Fairs.[7]

Services

The offered services by the GTCC range from extensive market and sales consultancy, information events and trade fair services to an active representation of interests of German companies in Thailand. Under the brand name DEinternational the Worldwide Network of German Chambers of Commerce provides various services with tailor-made solutions for every single customer.[8] Address research, individual business partner matching, market information, as well as market entry advisory in Thailand, Germany and the ASEAN countries are just some of the GTCC’s skills. Further skills include translations in Thai, German as well as in English, debt collection and dispute resolution. Additionally, each GTCC-department offers further specialized services. While the Corporate Communication department, for example, organizes events, seminars as well as workshops, and publishes a broad range of publications, the Trade Fair department is in charge of exhibition projects and visits to trade fairs in Germany and Thailand.[9]

Membership

Member companies are as diverse as the economic reality, covering a broad range of industries. GTCC’s members are small and medium-sized companies as well as large enterprises. You will find manufacturers, service providers, financial institutions, trade organizations and even public bodies and educational institutions among our members. With around 500 members, the GTCC is one of the largest bilateral Chamber of Commerce in Thailand. A membership with the German-Thai Chamber of Commerce offers a variety of benefits, which allow participating companies to emerge with prestige and a good reputation in the German-Thai business community.[10]

Partners

The German-Thai Chamber of Commerce is co-operating with the German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (IHK) as well as with the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK). Other partners include the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi), the German International Cooperation (GIZ), The German Business Portal iXPOS, as well as Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI).

Publications

The Chamber offers a broad range of publications to all interested companies, members or private persons. The following publications are the most common ones:

The GTCC’s quarterly magazine, called Up-date, covers special sections on economic and trade news, new technology, trade fairs and a contact section where German and Thai companies seek trading, licensing and joint-venture partners. Member companies are invited to present profiles of themselves as well as news about their enterprises. Each year, the GTCC publishes its Handbook and Directory where the Chamber’s work, its Board of Directors and management as well as all members are introduced. Also very popular is the GTCC’s German List, a compilation of German companies investing and doing business in Thailand. On request a full list of studies on industrial products and sectors is available as well. The Chamber has also developed model contracts for agreements and guides on trade and investment.[11]

External links

German-Thai Chamber of Commerce: Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK): German Chambers of Commerce: German ASEAN Chamber Network (GACN):

References

  1. ↑ http://www.gtcc.org/
  2. ↑ German-Thai Chamber of Commerce (2008): 150 Years German-Thai Economic Relations.
  3. ↑ Deutsch-Thailändische Handelskammer(1998): 140 Jahre Deutsch-Thailändische Wirtschaftsbeziehungen 1858-1998.Bangkok:DarnsuthaPress Co.,Ltd.
  4. ↑ German-Thai Chamber of Commerce (2008): 150 Years German-Thai Economic Relations
  5. ↑ http://thailand.ahk.de/ueber-uns/
  6. ↑ GTCC Handbook & Directory 2013
  7. ↑ http://www.gtcc.org/
  8. ↑ http://thailand.ahk.de/en/services/deinternational/
  9. ↑ GTCC Handbook & Directory 2013
  10. ↑ http://thailand.ahk.de/fileadmin/ahk_thailand/Bilder/invitation_become_our_member.pdf
  11. ↑ GTCC Handbook & Directory 2013
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