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Speakers were from large private firms and government agencies involved in the renewable-energy, transport and automotive industries of the two countries.

Deputy Prime Minister Korbsak Sabhavasu said at the meeting that the government needed German experience, especially regarding renewable energy and the environmental-management sector.

He said this second meeting would help tie up relationships in terms of trade and investment between Germany and Thailand, particularly in mega-investment projects that Thailand plans for the next four years with a total investment of Bt1.4 trillion.

"We've invited foreign investors, including those from Germany, to participate with the government," said Korbsak.

He said at the meeting that the government was confident it could prevent a recurrence of the events that caused the abrupt cancellation of the Asean Summit in Pattaya in the middle of last month.

"We have a road map to revise constitutional law and find a solution that results in political reconciliation," he said.

Korbsak said the government would hold the Asean+3 Summit next month and that the meeting would take place without disruption.

He said the Kingdom would spend ¤10 billion to ¤20 billion (Bt465 billion to Bt930 billion) a year to boost its domestic economy once the second stimulus package kicked in.

Korbsak said the government would also ensure good governance and transparent practices. In terms of restoring investor confidence, he said this meant all parties should abide by the law at all times and not just during the four-year term of the government.

He said after the meeting that the government was now more ready to press ahead than its immediate predecessors, under which there was a lack of continuity, due to the constant changes of administration.

"They [German investors] did not ask about why we had to invest so much, because it is now a common measure that each country do so. We also insist we don't have to wait and can invest now, as the sources of the funds are off-budget," he said.

Korbsak said German investors were still interested in participating in Thailand's infrastructure projects, as the level of government investment is large enough for them to do so.

He expressed confidence they would participate in the bidding for electric-train projects.

Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, the federal economics and technology minister, said he was impressed the Thai delegation had joined the meeting despite the Kingdom's political uncertainty. This showed the importance given to the trade and investment relationship between the countries.

He said the meeting enabled the two sides to exchange experience and develop cooperation with a view to turning potential projects into reality.

Germany is a key political and economic player in Europe, ranked as the world's fourth-largest economy last year after the United States, Japan and China. The country was ranked 16th in terms of global competitiveness when taking into account the automotive, machinery and chemical industries.

In 2008, Thai-German trade value totalled US$7.69 billion (Bt263 billion).