MUTUAL BENEFITS
The first joint steering committee meeting on trade with Bahrain and Thailand is scheduled for July 5.
Thailand is scheduled to call the first joint steering committee (JSC) meeting with Bahrain next month to strengthen partnership on trade, particularly for agricultural products, and promote cooperation in halal industries.
Auramon Supthaweethum, directorgeneral of the Trade Negotiations Department, said Thailand and Bahrain’s relationship became more active after Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha made an official visit to Bahrain in April last year and the two countries agreed to expand cooperation on food security and set up the JSC.
On July 5, Thailand will host the first JSC meeting, she said, with Commerce Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong co-chairing alongside Zayed bin Rashid al-Zayani, Bahrain’s industry, commerce and tourism minister.
Mrs Auramon said the two sides will work on ways to promote bilateral trade, notably for agricultural products and strategic partnerships on halal industries, through which the two countries can benefit mutually.
Thai products with high export potential include hom mali fragrant rice and other premium grains.
Thailand will also try to promote pineapple exports, particularly the new variety MD2, which is recognised internationally for its great aroma and exquisite flavour and contains twice the vitamin C as other species, Mrs Auramon said. The variety also contains B vitamins, is rich in sugars and fibre, and 100 grammes of pineapple provides 50 kilocalories.
This variety of pineapple can be stored for up to one month after harvest, Mrs Auramon said.
“Despite being a small country with a population of only 720,000 and 680,000 foreign workers, Bahrain is a financially established country, with tourist arrivals of about 11 million a year,” she said.
“Moreover,” she continued, “Bahrain is a member of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, originally the Gulf Cooperation Council, with a combined population of more than 54 million.”
The council is an intergovernmental political and economic union consisting of all Arab states of the Persian Gulf except Iraq.
Bahrain ranks as Thailand’s 65th-biggest trading partner in the world market and ninth-largest trading partner in the Middle East.
Two-way trade last year amounted to US$290 million (9.55 billion baht), with Thai exports making up $155.91 million.
For the first four months of this year, twoway trade totalled $87.53 million, up 16.8% year-on-year.
Key Thai exports to Bahrain are gems and jewellery, steel products, air compressors, machines and parts, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, plastic pellets, and other plastic products.
‘‘ Bahrain is a financially established country.
AURAMON SUPTHAWEETHUM Director-general, Trade Negotiations Department