Qatar to gain from Vietnam Petrochem JV

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Qatar to gain from Vietnam Petrochem JV

The $4.6bn Long Son Petrochemical Project in Vietnam’s Ba Ria-Vung Tau province could help boost economic contributions of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) countries to Qatar, Thailand Ambassador Piroon Laismit said.

He said the “trilateral project,” which is being built on a 400-hectare complex inside the Long Son Industrial Zone, is a joint venture between Qatar Petroleum International (QPI, which is set to be integrated with parent QP), PetroVietnam, and Thailand-based Siam Cement Group (SCG).

“The project costs almost $5bn and is expected to commence operations in 2019,” the ambassador told Gulf Times during the celebration of the 48th anniversary of Asean in Doha yesterday.

According to Laismit, the complex will use ethane, naphtha, and propane as feedstock and is expected to cater to domestic demand for plastic resins.

“The complex will produce 2.7mn tonnes of polyethylene and polypropylene, as well as 700,000 tonnes of compounds for the production of polyvinyl chloride and 840,000 tonnes of other chemicals for the petrochemical and chemical industry,” he said.

Aside from the project, the ambassador said another economic contribution to Qatar is the supply of a competent workforce from Southeast Asian countries.

Laismit said the labour force of each Asean member country varies, with most of them supplying workers in Qatar’s services sector.

“For Thailand, we have around 2,500 skilled technicians in Qatar. We cannot support much of Qatar’s need for workers in the construction sector because we have a similar need in Thailand; we even have to source out workers from neighbouring countries.

“But given the opportunity we could also support Qatar’s workforce by sending good Thai engineers to the country,” Laismit said.

The ambassador also said countries in Southeast Asia have an agricultural edge. “Not only the labour force but Asean member countries contribute to the food security of Qatar and the rest of the GCC region through the supply of various agricultural products.

“Qatar, on the other hand, supplies energy to us; therefore, we complement each other,” the ambassador said.

Indonesian Ambassador Deddy Saiful Hadi, who is the current chairman of the Asean Committee Doha (ACD), said, “The supply of professional and skilled workers from Asean countries is a huge economic contribution to Qatar because these people facilitate a wide range of services to Qatar’s public and private sector.”

This was reiterated by Philippine Ambassador Wilfredo Santos, who added, “We are mindful of the economic contributions of the Asean workforce in Qatar. We are here to stay.”

Source and Link: Zaway.com

Moving Abroad Checklist

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.