Regional gatherings boost Thai economy

BANGKOK, June 5 (TNA) - Theand private sector views that Thailand's chairmanship role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2019 and host of regional gatherings should benefit the national economy indirectly through spending by regional visitors and more sale volumes and exports of Thai products to foreign economies. Kalin Sarasin, Chairman of the Board of Trade of Thailand (BTT), made the remarks in Bangkok on Wednesday, after attending the latest meeting of the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB) earlier in the day, noting that there will be new regional gatherings in the Thai Kingdom later this month. According to official schedules, the regional gatherings set to be held in Thailand this month include the 34th ASEAN Summit and related meetings, the ASEAN Smart Cities Network Workshop, the 8th ASEAN Plus 3 Junior Science Odyssey (APT-JSO), the Workshop on ASEAN Talent Mobility to Develop Offline Mechanisms, the 3rd ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN- BAC) Meeting, the 4th ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) Meeting and Joint Business Council Meeting and the 37th Senior Officials Meeting on Energy (SOME) and Associated Meetings. Kalin mentioned that sale volumes and purchase orders of Thai food products at last week's THAIFEX - World of Food Asia 2019 were at a satisfactory level, while there should also be more rooms for Thai exports of food products to the United States and China later this year amid the escalating trade war between the two major trading partners. The JSCCIB comprises of three major arms of the private sector, including the BTT, the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) the Thai Bankers' Association (TBA). (TNA)