Thai halal goods promoted for zero-tariff int'l markets

BANGKOK, December 4 (TNA) - The government, through the Ministry of Commerce, is promoting Thai halal goods and food products to be expanded to several free trade areas (FTAs) where zero tariffs are imposed. Oramon Sapthaweetham, Deputy Director-General of the ministry's Department of Trade Negotiations, told journalists of the policy on December 3, saying that her department will, thus, work together with other relevant parties, including provincial commercial offices and the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center (SBPAC), to organize a series of five seminars to disseminate proper and necessary knowledge to operators of halal goods and food products in the Muslim-predominated southernmost Thai region on how to practically expand their halal goods and food products to FTAs, in which Thailand has participated. Oramon noted that the policy, under which the series of seminars will be held during December 2017-February 2018, is in line with the official policy of both her ministry and the Thai government on designating 2018 as the year of driving forward the local grassroots economy and communities. Oramon pointed out that the three southern border Thai region of Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani are the major production sources of farm, fishery and halal goods and food products and local business operators' proper knowledge on attributes of and opportunites in FTAs, will not only help expand their markets, but also boost their revenues. According to the senior official, major markets for Thai halal goods and products include Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Turkey and those in the Middle East. Official statistics showed that exports of Thai halal food products alone reached about 4.13 billion US dollars during the first nine months of this year, most of which were shipped to member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (TNA)