RIYADH, Aug 29 (TNA) – Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit visited Saudi Arabia to promote Thai products and labor, saying the value of bilateral trade was soaring and a large mall operator was interested in importing more Thai products.
After opening a Thai trade fair at the Park Avenue branch of the Manuel Market, Mr Jurin who is also a deputy prime minister said that his ministry was conducting marketing campaigns in Saudi Arabia to increase local consumers’ awareness of Thai products.
In the fair, there were more than 30 items of Thai products including canned seafood and fruits, rice, seasoning sauce and pet food. Last year Manuel Market imported Thai products worth US$22 million, Mr Jurin said. He expected the import value from the mall chain would increase to US$30 million this year.
In the first seven months of this year, the value of Thai and Saudi Arabian trade rose by 46% from a year earlier. Thai exports to Saudi Arabia went up by 26% due to the restoration of bilateral relations.
Mr Jurin said Saudi Arabia would open a new city named Neom within 2030. Saudi Arabia would have more demand for construction and other services and that would be opportunities for Thailand to export more products and services to Saudi Arabia, he said. (TNA)
