So far Royal Thai Government has always been proud that Thailand ranks second to Singapore in terms of investment into Vietnam as an ASEAN member country. With 119 investment projects in Vietnam and the total investment capital of about US$1,424 million, Vietnam is becoming a significant trading partner of Thailand.
With the aim of boosting two-way trade relation between the two countries, the Thai government has arranged such a great number of promotion activities as inviting Vietnam business to trade fairs in Thailand, exchanging trade delegations to do market researching, as well as organizing trade fairs both in Thailand and Vietnam under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Commerce of Thailand. As a result, Thailand has had trade surplus with Vietnam recent years. Mr. Somkiat Saranapanichkul Thailand trade counselor in Vietnam said that, the five months of this year for example, statistics showed that the two way trade turnover between Vietnam and Thailand totaled US$1054.39 million, 33,48 per cent more than the last year’s same period. Vietnam’s export turnover to and import turnover from Thailand reached US$ 221.03 million and US$830.36 million respectively, 66.27 per cent and 26.74 per cent above those of the last year’s same period. Besides, Thai Companies operating in Vietnam, whether in forms of 100 per cent foreign owned capital or joint venture, are actively contributing to Vietnam economic growth.
Being one of the trade promoting programs of Ministry of Commerce, Royal Thai Government, Thailand exhibitions are held annually in Hanoi and Hochiminh City since 2001 and have been well received by all Vietnam business circles. This year under the authorization of the Department of Export Promotion, Ministry of Commerce, Royal Thai Government, the Office of Commercial Affairs, Royal Thai Embassy in Hanoi in collaboration with the Vietnam Trade Fair & Advertising National Company (Vinexad) will be organizing “Thailand Exhibition 2005” at the Friendship Cultural Palace, No 91 Tran Hung Dao Street, Hanoi from 19-23 August 2005. Around 120 Thai businesses participating in this exhibition will be displaying their products in such various as electrical appliances, household products and kitchenware, garment and textile, telecommunication, stationery and office supplies, children products, games and toys, auto parts and accessories, leather products and footwear, gifts and decorative items, food and beverages, pharmaceutical and sanitary products, cosmetics and health products, packaging industry, construction materials and hardware.
Together with other activities, Thailand Exhibition 2005 is greatly expected to further promote trade relationship which matches the two country’s potentials.
Kim Phuong
Vietnamese
