Thai govt plans to expand border trade

BANGKOK, June 11 (TNA) -- Ministry of Commerce has planned to push for the expansion of border trade, especially by encouraging domestic entrepreneurs to purchase local fruits in a bid to expand the fruits market. Commerce Minister Ms Apiradi Tantraporn was inspecting the fruits market in three provinces of Trat, Chantaburi, and Rayong for two days from June 11-12. She is set to meet with the group of farmers and agricultural cooperatives members in the Eastern region, as well as call a meeting with local fruit buyers to follow up on domestic fruits market situation in order to work out measures to assist Thai entrepreneurs in increasing export potentials, particularly on exporting the fruits to neighbouring countries and China, the two main markets of Thailand. Moreover, the minister has planned to travel to the border and meet with entrepreneurs at the border in Ban Laem village for talks on border trade and how to increase its value, as exported products from this border pass would not only be exported to Cambodia but could reach Vietnam as well. Most exported products from the Thai side include consumer products, fruits, animal feeds, construction materials, vehicle engines and parts, while Thailand is importing casava, soy bean, scrap metal and aluminium, as well as machine parts from Cambodia. There are two permanent border checkpoints in Chantaburi province, one at Ban Laem village and the other in Ban Pakkard village, both of which are located in the Pong Nam Ron district, where trade value in the first four months of the year from January-April stood at 4.763 billion baht, an increase of 28.49 per cent from the year before. (TNA)