http://www.biz-day.com/trade/ Business Day Trade Headlines en-us BANGKOK, Oct 13 - Thailand's strengthening baht has forced natural rubber importing countries to switch to purchasing from Indonesian suppliers instead, causing a slump in Thai rubber exports this year compared to 2006, according to a report issued by the Kasikorn Research Center.' 'The stronger baht is bad news for Thai rubber producers and exporters, the report said, and worse yet, the leading think tank sees Indonesia overtaking Thailand as the world's leading producer and exporter of... http://www.biz-day.com/read/trade/14_oct_07/jgycm-7/baht_rise_forces_rubber_importers_buy_indonesia.htm BANGKOK, Dec 25 -- Thailand remained with a deficit of more than Bt1.7 billion (about US$46.6 million) in trade with China under the ASEAN-Sino Free Trade Area (FTA) agreement during the first nine months of this year, according to the Foreign Trade Department (FTD).'FTD director-general Apiradi Tantraporn said Monday that the total volume of Sino-Thai trade under the ASEAN-Sino FTA rose by 24 per cent to US$18.46 billion in the January-September period.'In that period, Thailand's... http://www.biz-day.com/read/trade/24_dec_06/ehtmd-a/thailand_still_deficit_with_china_under_asean_sino_fta.htm BANGKOK, Dec 21 - Despite the strengthening of the Thai baht, export growth target for 2007 set by the Commerce Ministry still remains unchanged at 12.5 per cent, Commerce Minister Krirkkrai Jirapaet said Thursday.'So far there will be no revision in the export growth target, Mr. Krirkkrai said, because the ministry had earlier assumed that the Thai currency would remain strong at Bt37 against the dollar.'However, the target could be revised in the next two to three months depending on... http://www.biz-day.com/read/trade/20_dec_06/givpy-e/2007_export_target_unchanged_at_12_5.htm BANGKOK, Dec 2 - Thailand's exports this year are projected to grow and meet the target of 17.5 per cent with total value of US$130.37 billion, according to Commerce Minister Krirkkrai Jirapaet.' 'Major export products are showing signs of expanding in 2006, he said, adding that food exports are expected to earn US$9.6 billion, up 14.2 per cent from last year, while textiles and garments are expected to earn US$7.504 billion, a rise of 12 per cent. 'Jewellery and ornaments will have... http://www.biz-day.com/read/trade/02_dec_06/esahy-3/export_growth_2006_projected_at_nearly_20_per_cent.htm BANGKOK, Nov 30 - In a sign of strengthening relations with Thailand's Mekong neighbours, the leaders of Laos and Vietnam, will officially visit Bangkok next month as guests of the government, and will attend the opening of a new Mekong bridge at Mukdaharn, an official said Wednesday. ' 'Deputy Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Kiattikhun Chartprasert told reporters that both leaders would witness the inauguration of the second Thai-Lao bridge on December 20. The bridge, which will... http://www.biz-day.com/read/trade/29_nov_06/bh5mh-8/laotian_vietnamese_leaders_visit_thailand_next_month.htm BANGKOK, Nov 23 - Thailand is mulling a plan for procuring arms from Pakistan, Thai Royal Army Commander-in Chief Sonthi Boonyaratkalin said on Thursday. ' 'Speaking after returning from a visit to Pakistan, Gen Sonthi, also chairman of the Council for National Security (CNS), said during the visit that he viewed an exposition displaying arms which are mostly produced by Middle East countries, good-quality and very low-priced. The weapons displayed at the exposition were particularly... http://www.biz-day.com/read/trade/23_nov_06/itxwu-t/thailand_eyes_arms_purchases_pakistan.htm BANGKOK, Nov 23 - Commerce Minister Krirkkrai Jirapaet on Wednesday reiterated that Thailand would not sign an ASEAN-Korea free trade area (FTA) agreement unless Korea agrees to liberalise its policies on agricultural products, especially rice. ' 'Speaking after a meeting with Han Tae-kyu, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Thailand, who paid a courtesy call on him, Mr. Krirkkrai said he had explained to the envoy Thailand's trade policy direction under the sufficiency economy concept.... http://www.biz-day.com/read/trade/23_nov_06/gfp8p-2/thailand_asks_korea_liberalise_agricultural_trade_terms.htm BANGKOK, Nov 4 - Thailand exported more than 6.1 million tonnes of rice during the first ten months of 2006 and is confident that exports will reach 7.5 million tonnes as targeted earlier, a senior Commerce Ministry official said Saturday. 'Vichak Visetnoi, deputy director general of the Foreign Trade Department, said total rice exports during January-October amounted to 6,118,207 tonnes valued at US$2.06 billion.'He said the ministry was confident that rice exports this year could reach... http://www.biz-day.com/read/trade/04_nov_06/bztre-f/rice_exports_reach_7_5_million_tonnes_this_year.htm BANGKOK, Nov 1 - Embarrassed by what he termed "policy uncertainty" towards wholesale and retail trade promotion, British ambassador to Thailand David Fall has urged the Commerce Ministry to be clear regarding the policy. ' 'Speaking after a meeting with the British envoy, who paid a courtesy call on him, Commerce Minister Krirkkrai Jirapaet said Mr. Fall enquired how the trade policy would be implemented in harmony with the sufficiency economy principle and a direction of the existing... http://www.biz-day.com/read/trade/01_nov_06/irwzf-j/british_envoy_seeks_clarity_wholesale_retail_trade.htm Bangkok, Oct 26: The Thai Prime Minister, General Surayud Chulanont, stated that strengthening bilateral cooperation and relationships with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam would be the first priority for improving both parties' long-lasting relations. 'Speaking in a meeting with General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nong Duc Manh , Surayud had friendly conversations with him and expressed gratitude for his warm receptions. The premier echoed his... http://www.biz-day.com/read/trade/26_oct_06/zc7pg-7/thai_vietnamese_leaders_meet_raise_volume_of_bilateral.htm BANGKOK, Oct 21 -Thailand's exports in September hit a record high of US$12 billion, bringing the export value of the kingdom in the first nine months this year to the US$95 billion mark.'According to Permanent Secretary for Commerce Karun Kittisataporn, the export figure in September represented a 16.4 per cent increase over the same month last year.'The export performance in September alone has also earned Thailand US$1.5 billion in trade surplus. This helped to ease concern over a... http://www.biz-day.com/read/trade/21_oct_06/h5m4c-4/thai_exports_hit_record_high_september.htm BANGKOK, Oct 9 - Thailand's exports in the fourth quarter are expected to grow at a slower pace than in the previous quarter since the shipment to main export destinations has declined, according to the University of Thai Chamber of Commerce's International Trade Centre.'Atha Pisalvanich, the centre's director, projected the exports in the fourth quarter would total US$32.92 billion, down from those in third quarter, which saw the growth of 5.7 per cent.'He attributed the slower growth... http://www.biz-day.com/read/trade/09_oct_06/emq6v-s/exports_grow_at_slower_pace_4th_quarter_utcc.htm THE Kingdom is continuing joint action with Australia and Brazil against the European Union (EU) regarding the European trade bloc's sugar subsidy, which exceeds the limit permitted by the World Trade Organization (WTO), according to a senior Commerce Ministry official.'Apiradi Tantraporn, Director-General of the Department of Trade Negotiations, told journalists on Friday that despite Thailand, Australia and Brazil winning their case at the WTO in Geneva, resulting in the EU being notified of... http://www.biz-day.com/read/trade/18_jun_06/iiutx-3/thailand_continues_fight_against_eu_sugar_subsidy.htm Thailand's caretaker government has been urged to defer its conclusion of bilateral free trade area (FTA) agreements with the United States and Japan until a newly-elected administration takes office.'Kiart Sitthiamorn, deputy head of the former opposition Democrat Party's economic task force, said here on Sunday that a caretaker government has no consitutional mandate to clinch any FTA pact with trading parterns.'He noted that FTA pacts with trading partners must be approved by Thai... http://www.biz-day.com/read/trade/06_jun_06/d6y5a-b/govt_urged_defer_ftas.htm An increasing number of firms have expressed their interest in establishing trade links with Cuba, as visiting Cuban Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade, Pedro Luis Padron, has witnessed in Bangkok.'On Friday, Padron met with his Thai counterpart Preecha to discuss ways to increase exchange between their countries.'The meeting was held at the Thai Trade Ministry headquarters in the presence of other trade officials and of Cuban Ambassador to Thailand, Maria Luisa Fernandez Equilaz.'Preecha... http://www.biz-day.com/read/trade/04_jun_06/gcrp9-2/more_firms_eye_trade_with_cuba.htm Thailand and Vietnam have agreed to join hands to strengthen rice exports and stabilise rice prices on international markets, the Foreign Trade Department announced recently.'According to Rachane Potjanasunthorn, director-general of the department, the bilateral co-operation will include support by Thailand to improve the quality of Vietnamese rice in terms of harvesting, storing, selling and transportation. 'Rachane disclosed that Thailand will send a delegation including business... http://www.biz-day.com/read/trade/20_apr_06/hgi84-6/thailand_join_vn_rice_exports.htm The head of the Thai negotiating team for the Thai-US Free Trade Area (FTA) agreement said the sixth round of talks has ended with all grounds covered but no deal finalised.'Speaking at a press conference this afternoon at the end of the sixth round of negotiations held in the northern province of Chiang Mai, Chief Negotiator Nitya Pibulsongkram said the Thai and the US counterparts have covered all sectors of goods whose market access both sides want to widen including industrial goods, farm... http://www.biz-day.com/read/trade/15_jan_06/bqvhj-7/thai_us_fta_talks_comprehensive_inconclusive.htm Thailand will suffer a second consecutive annual trade deficit this year, amounting to12 billion dollars according to a forecast by theCentre for International Trade Studies of the Univerity of the Thai Chamber of Commerce.'Centre director Ath Pialwanich said aid exports this year would grow 13.9 per cent in 2006, compared with15.2 per cent in the previous year due to global economic trend.'At the same time, imports were expected to total nearly $139 billion, up 17.2 per cents from 2005,... http://www.biz-day.com/read/trade/12_jan_06/cxe92-7/trade_deficit_set_hit_12bn.htm