Large group of Latin American importers to visit Thailand

BANGKOK, February 20 (TNA) - A large delegation of Latin American importers will visit Thailand in mid-2017 to hold business talks with their Thai counterparts. Malee Chokelamlert, Director-General of the Department of International Trade Promotion, under the Ministry of Commerce, told journalists on February 19 that the Latin American trade delegation, comprising those from Brazil, Argentina and Chile, will visit Thailand during the upcoming THAIFEX–World of Food Asia 2017 (THAIFEX 2017), set to be held at the Impact Trade and Exhibition Centre in Muang Thong Thani on the outskirts of Bangkok during May 31-June 4. Malee noted that the 30-40 member-Latin American business delegation will hold business talks on food products with their Thai counterparts and her department has, thus, called a meeting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and her ministry's Department of Trade Negotiations to jointly prepare activities for the leading Latin American trade delegation, aimed to further promote two-way trade between Thailand and Latin America. According to the senior official, main activities include a B2B Networking between Latin American business operators and their Thai counterparts, a visit to Thai factories, supermarkets, markets and major food areas by the Latin American trade delegation. Besides, the Latin American business delegation will pay their courtesy calls on key figures in both the Thai public and private sectors to strengthen trade relations between Thailand and Latin America. The senior official revealed that a joint commission under the Thai-Chile Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will also take the occasion to hold its first meeting, so will the first meeting of a task force on Thailand-Brazil trade and investment and the Thai-Chile Business Council Meeting. "The meetings will pave the way for the strategic partnership between Thailand and major Latin American countries, namely Mexico, Brazil and Argentina", said the senior official. (TNA)