Thai business operators invited to invest in S.Africa

BANGKOK, September 4 (TNA) - Visiting African Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane has invited Thai business operators to expand their investment into the South African market, particularly in basic infrastructure, ore mines and telecommunications. The South African Foreign Minister, who is visiting Thailand to chair the 17th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Bangkok from September 2-4, made the invitation at a meeting with her Thai counterpart Surapong Tovichakchaikul at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday. Surapong, in turn, warmly welcomed the South African foreign minister and held a reception in honour of the guest and her entourage, asking as well that South Africa reduce trade barriers for imports of Thai farm produce to boost shipments of Thai agricultural products to the huge South African market, especially mangosteen. Thai Foreign Ministry Spokesman Thani Thongphakdi, who is also Director-General of the ministry's Department of Information, later told journalists that the Thai and South African foreign ministers discussed bilateral cooperation on trade and economic issues between South Africa and Thailand, as the former is Thailand's largest market in Africa and its huge economy accounts for one-fourth of the overall African economy; while Thailand is also Africa's number one market in Southeast Asia with two-way trade value normally reaching about 350 billion US dollars annually. Besides, the spokesman said, Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinwatra is scheduled to visit South Africa in the first quarter of next year and the South African President plans an exchange visit to Thailand in late 2013. (TNA)