Issue 46

The Thai Ministry of Commerce is promoting the rubber industry through business matching activities.

Thailand’s rubber industry is huge with the capacity to manufacture approximately 4 million tonnes of natural rubber each year. In 2015, income from rubber exports totalled US$5 billion with rubber product exports amounting to US$6.85 billion. The top importers of rubber from Thailand are China, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea and the US.

From February 29 to March 2, 150 rubber importers from 28 countries, including Malaysia, Vietnam, China, South Africa, India, South Korea and Saudi Arabia, joined in business negotiations with 109 Thai companies at the Centara Grand Hotel, Central Plaza Ladprao, Bangkok.

“The Ministry of Commerce believes that these business matching activities will be an important step for the Thai rubber industry in building business relationships with foreign partners,” Minister of Commerce Apiradee Tantraporn, says. “Moreover, these activities will offer new opportunities for [Thai] companies to meet potential new buyers from various countries.”

Von Bundit, one of Thailand’s largest natural rubber manufacturers and exporters, signed Memoranda of Understanding for a combined total of more than 110,000 tonnes of rubber with three Chinese importers – Qingdao Runlian, Shanghai Han Qing Import & Export and Shanghai Ting Qing Industry – at the event.

Para rubber products which proved of most interest with buyers included tyres, latex pillows and mattresses, natural rubber, rubber gloves and automotive parts made from rubber.

The Thai government has established centres for production, marketing and technological research with the aim to produce the highest-quality rubber and to meet market demands.

Parimon Charoontham, marketing executive of the Rubber Authority of Thailand, believes that these business negotiations will help the Thai rubber industry expand overseas.

“The Rubber Authority of Thailand manufactures rubber into latex concentrate and block rubber,” she says. “I think these business negotiations with foreign buyers will give a chance for our rubber industry to expand further.

“We have many facilities both in the southern and in the northeastern part of Thailand. Now we sell mainly to buyers in Thailand who turn the rubber into rubber products. From these business negotiations, we hope to gain some direct foreign buyers who are interested in processing rubber products.”

The event also featured exhibitions on rubber production, as well as factory tours to help promote the image of Thai rubber. Negotiations are expected to generate over 10 billion baht in trade.

Information and images courtesy of the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP)

Words by Pimsirinuch Borsub