Thai commerce minister to visit Mozambique, S. Africa

BANGKOK, June 16 (TNA) - Thai Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom is scheduled to travel to Mozambique and South Africa on a six-day trip, starting this Monday, in a bid to strengthen trade ties, especially for market cooperation on raw materials and jewellery. Srirat Rastapana, director-general of International Trade Promotion Department, said the talks would also focus on mineral surveying, jewellery exports to Thailand, and the setting up a gems trading centre. According to her, Thailand was expecting to expand its trade volume with the two countries to 10 billion U.S. dollars by the year 2017. During the first four months this year, Thailand exported goods worth more than 826 million U.S. dollars to South Africa, the top three commodities being automobiles and spare parts, and rice. Thailand during the same period imported goods valued at 778 million U.S. dollars from South Africa, including gems and jewellery. (TNA)