Top envoys ready to promote Thai products overseas

BANGKOK, August 7 (TNA) - Thai ambassadors and consuls-general stationed in foreign countries have expressed their readiness to promote national products overseas as assigned by the government. Wibul Khoosakul, Thai Ambassador to China, said Tuesday that the promotion of Thai products globally can begin right away, especially with farm products, pointing out that Thailand exported products worth 200 billion baht last year and the prime minister’s overseas visits should expand business cooperation with trading partners, including that on taxation, the development of which should further boost Thailand's exports in the future. The top Thai envoy in Beijing also noted that China, for instance, is a vast market of Thai products with high purchasing power of local consumers, especially fruits, assessing if the creation of regional transport networks in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is completed, Thailand, which stands near China, can export fruits to the Chinese economy with low transport costs. According to the top envoy, Chinese tourists have also increasingly visited Thailand and they should be, thus, encouraged to spend more in the Kingdom. Meanwhile, Norachit Singhaseni, Thai Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, insisted on Thailand’s readiness to act in global forums concerning security, peace, human rights, transnational crimes and anti-narcotic missions. Norachit foresaw that Thailand should play more important roles in international forums over the next couple of years, as the country is seeking to be a member of the United Nations' focal panels, including the UN Human Rights Council and the UN Security Council, a non-permanent member seat, recommending that Thailand prove to be able to come up with solutions to domestic problems, including insurgency in the far South. (TNA)