MALAYSIA, THAILAND ENJOY GROWTH IN TRADE AND INVESTMENT - ENVOY

By D. Arul Rajoo

BANGKOK, Sept 1 (Bernama) -- Malaysia and Thailand continue to enjoy friendly and substantive relations in all aspects, with positive growth in bilateral trade, investment and tourism, says Malaysia's ambassador to Thailand, Husni Zai Yaacob.

In his 52nd Independence Day message carried in the local media, Husni said
exports for the first six months of 2009 amounted to US$3.764 billion (US$1 =
RM3.52) while imports were US$3.235 billion.

Malaysia's exports to Thailand in 2008 stood at US$9.5 billion while imports
were US$8.9 billion.

Husni said statistics from the Board of Investment (BOI) Thailand showed
that approved investment from Malaysia into the kingdom recorded an increase of
118 per cent, from 11.5 billion baht in 2007 (9.64 baht = RM1) to 25.2 billion
baht last year.

Malaysia, the fourth largest investor in Thailand and the second among Asean
countries after Singapore, had investments worth 854 million baht approved in
the first six months of 2009.

Among Malaysia's top investors in Thailand are Aapico Hitech, Bina Puri,
Petronas, CIMB, Proton, Sime Darby, Kurnia Insurance, RHB and Morakot
Industries. To mark the Independence Day, the embassy is organising a reception
Monday night for Thai government officials, the diplomatic corps and Malaysian
expatriates here.

Husni also said that besides the increasing exchange of visits between
leaders and officials from both countries, the people-to-people contacts were
also encouraging.

Thailand is the third largest group to visit Malaysia, with the figures
increasing by 15 per cent, from 1.13 million in 2007 to more than 1.33 million
in 2008, while Malaysians remained the biggest group visiting the kingdom as 1.8
million came last year compared to 1.54 million a year before.

Husni said the state visit of the Malaysian King Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin,
last March was timely and augured well for the dynamism of the bilateral ties
between the two countries.

"The visit was the first in nine years and, without a doubt, it reflected
the importance of Thailand to Malaysia and the substantive relations enjoyed by
the two neighbouring countries," he said.
-- BERNAMA