Indian-Thai trade fair kicks off in southern Thailand

SURAT THANI, THAILAND, July 23 (TNA) - An Indian-Thai trade fair is organised in Thailand's southern resort Surat Thani Province from July 23-26, marking the historic 100th anniversary of trade and investment links between the South Asian country and Thailand. Indian Ambassador to Thailand H.E. Harsh Vardhan Shringla and the Mayor of Surat City, previously known as Suryapur, in India's western Gujarat State, together with Thai Commerce Minister General Chatchai Sarikulya, jointly inaugurated the Southern International Trade Expo at Central Plaza shopping centre in Surat Thani on Thursday. Business firms from all 14 southern Thai provinces participate in the four-day international trade event to showcase their products at over 180 booths, along with those of over 150 Indian and Malaysian business operators plus tourism promotion activities. The four-day trade fair is expected to attract more than 100,000 international visitors and initially secure purchase orders worth 30 million baht, after which more purchase orders for the participating businesses are foreseen worth about 1.2 billion baht within one year. If the targeted figures are met, overall bilateral trade between India and Thailand should exceed 8.6 billion US dollars this year, an over 8 per cent year-on-year growth. Besides, the Lakchai Muang Yang Industrial Estate in Rayong Province in the Thai East and Chinese business operators are set to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the purchase of land plots from the former and on their coopeation on the construction of a para rubber factory. (TNA)