A delegation from the Office of Industrial Economics, Ministry of Industry of Thailand, visited the APO Secretariat in Tokyo on 24 November 2016. Led by Director Penwipa Trinsiripanit of the Industrial Economics Information Center, Office of Industrial Economics, the objective of the visit was to gain a clear understanding of the methodology and process of productivity research and surveys conducted by the APO in partnership with Keio University.

Welcoming the delegates, APO Secretary-General Santhi Kanoktanaporn pointed out that productivity measurement research aimed to provide evidence-based policy guidance to member economies. The outcome, the APO Productivity Databook, analyzes the recent and long-term productivity and economic performance in the region and reference economies. The Secretary-General also noted that the research was in sync with the APO objectives of identifying trends as well as areas of concern and creating programs to help member countries deal effectively with them.

Setting the agenda for the visit, Director Trinsiripanit said that the Office of Industrial Economics was keen to improve the survey and data-collection process, along with the research methodology, to ensure better data quality and analysis. She hoped that the study mission team could better understand the APO productivity measurement survey techniques, specifically the processes used for sampling data, calculating total factor productivity (TFP) and TFP growth, and new techniques for productivity and effectiveness measurement for its micro and macro predictive analyses. TFP is the GDP per unit of combined inputs and considered a better way of measuring the overall efficiency of national production.

The delegates included Expert Analyzer of Policy and Planning Sompit Narksook, Information Center Analyzer Tippatai Nakhiranpaisan, Industrial Economics Researcher Kunchalee Modpai, and Consultant Aphiwat Asamaporn, all from the Thai Office of Industrial Economics, Ministry of Industry. The delegation also included TFP Project Consultant from L.P. Laikhum Co., Ltd. Dr. Nutpol Sirisawang. They examined the details of the process followed by the APO-Keio University research team to harmonize and compile 40-year timeline data and how baseline indicators of productivity and economic performance were calculated for 30 Asian economies, representing the 20 APO members and 10 nonmember economies in Asia, as well as for the reference countries and groupings.