Bangkok Post
Tuesday March 25, 2008
PHUSADEE ARUNMAS
The Commerce Ministry hopes to increase the value of border trade between Thailand and neighbouring countries by 12-15% this year from 356 billion baht last year.
Deputy Commerce Minister Viroon Tejapaibul said that achieving the target would require more distribution outlets in the provinces along Thailand's borders.
Of the total border trade value, Thailand exported 193.92 billion baht and imported 162.08 billion baht worth of goods. Bilateral trade with Malaysia was 197.57 billion baht last year, Burma was 95.96 billion, Laos 46.80 billion, and Cambodia 33.66 billion.
Thailand showed a trade deficit with only Burma, due to high natural gas imports. In January this year, the value of the border trade with the four countries was about 29.96 billion baht, up 3.51%.
''We still have a lot of potential to increase trade between Thailand and our neighbours,'' he said. Mr Viroon also urged the construction of more outlets in provinces such as Sa Kaew, Udon Thani, which have road or bridge links to neighbouring countries.
In the South, the government promises to push for the development of a deep-sea port at Pak Bara, Satun province to facilitate trade between Thailand and Malaysia and Indonesia.
According to Mr Viroon, the government also plans to provide financial services to traders along the border and promote partnerships with Thai commercial banks and counterparts in the neighbouring countries, as well as address the complicated tax structure.
Contract farming in neighbouring nations would also be promoted particularly for 10 target plants and energy crops including eucalyptus, sweet corn, maize, soybeans, cotton, groundnuts, castor beans, and millet, sugarcane and oil palm.
The contract farming issue would go before the cabinet soon, he said.
Mr Viroon also urged Thai investors to capitalise on special economic zones in neighbouring countries to gain tariff benefits under the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), particularly for textile industry.
Tuesday March 25, 2008
PHUSADEE ARUNMAS
The Commerce Ministry hopes to increase the value of border trade between Thailand and neighbouring countries by 12-15% this year from 356 billion baht last year.
Deputy Commerce Minister Viroon Tejapaibul said that achieving the target would require more distribution outlets in the provinces along Thailand's borders.
Of the total border trade value, Thailand exported 193.92 billion baht and imported 162.08 billion baht worth of goods. Bilateral trade with Malaysia was 197.57 billion baht last year, Burma was 95.96 billion, Laos 46.80 billion, and Cambodia 33.66 billion.
Thailand showed a trade deficit with only Burma, due to high natural gas imports. In January this year, the value of the border trade with the four countries was about 29.96 billion baht, up 3.51%.
''We still have a lot of potential to increase trade between Thailand and our neighbours,'' he said. Mr Viroon also urged the construction of more outlets in provinces such as Sa Kaew, Udon Thani, which have road or bridge links to neighbouring countries.
In the South, the government promises to push for the development of a deep-sea port at Pak Bara, Satun province to facilitate trade between Thailand and Malaysia and Indonesia.
According to Mr Viroon, the government also plans to provide financial services to traders along the border and promote partnerships with Thai commercial banks and counterparts in the neighbouring countries, as well as address the complicated tax structure.
Contract farming in neighbouring nations would also be promoted particularly for 10 target plants and energy crops including eucalyptus, sweet corn, maize, soybeans, cotton, groundnuts, castor beans, and millet, sugarcane and oil palm.
The contract farming issue would go before the cabinet soon, he said.
Mr Viroon also urged Thai investors to capitalise on special economic zones in neighbouring countries to gain tariff benefits under the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), particularly for textile industry.
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