Issue 61

Thailand’s Ministry of Energy, Chulalongkorn University and other government agencies will co-organise Sustainable Energy & Technology Asia 2017 (SETA 2017) under the theme ‘Towards A Low Carbon Society’ from March 8 to 10, 2017 at BITEC Bang Na, Bangkok.

SETA’s highlights will include a CEO Forum, where policy makers will share their vision on energy plans; exhibitions on electric and hybrid vehicles; seminars; and business-matching activities.

The event is expected to attract around 250 exhibitors including over 100 foreign exhibitors and more than 5,000 visitors from all over the world.

Issue 61

The Ministry of Commerce and the Thai Rice Exporters Association organised a celebration for Thailand’s Hom Mali rice, or Thai jasmine rice, being awarded the World’s Best Rice for 2016, on December 8, 2016 at Sukhothai Hotel in Bangkok.

Hom Mali rice picked up the first prize at the eighth World Rice Conference, held by the Rice Trader Organisation in Chiang Mai from November 16 to 18, 2016. Calrose rice from the US was second with Cambodia’s jasmine rice third. Over 50 samples of fragrant rice from many countries were submitted to the contest before they were judged according to appearance, texture, aroma and grain length. Hom Mali rice also came first in 2009, 2010 and 2014.

Issue 61

The DITP has encouraged Thai hotel operators to invest in Japan where increasing tourism has driven the demand for more hotels, DITP director general Malee Choklumlerd said on November 25, 2016.

The Thai Trade Office in Hiroshima reported that in the past few years, the number of foreign visitors to Japan has increased rapidly, resulting in a shortage of hotel rooms especially in Kyushu and Okinawa.

“Fukuoka, in the centre of Kyushu island, lacks large plots of land for big hotels, therefore it is easier to set up city hotels or small hotels,” said Choklumlerd, adding that boutique hotels are also another potential business investment.

According to a DITP report around four million tourists visited Kyushu and Okinawa in 2015, up 73% on the previous year.

Issue 61

The DITP has invited executives from seven leading Thai companies to be regional advisors to help drive Thai trade and investment in overseas markets.

Under this plan, CP will advise on China, Central Group on Europe, Berli Jucker on ASEAN, Thai Union Frozen on the US, Sahapat Group on Japan and South Korea, SCG on India, and Double A on the Middle East.

“With their support and other strategies, the DITP expects Thailand to achieve export growth of 3% in 2017,” DITP director general Malee Choklumlerd said on December 1, 2016.

Issue 61

Minister of Commerce Apiradi Tantraporn announced that South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has issued a new regulation stating that agencies issuing quality assurances on food and animal feed exported to the East Asian nation must first register with the MFDS.

The regulation will be effective from January 1, 2017. Quality assurances include HACCP, ISO 22000, and GMP as well as halal, kosher and vegan food.

“The Ministry of Commerce has appointed the DITP to convey the news to related agencies to be registered with the MDFS in order to prevent Thai exports from being rejected,” said Tantraporn on December 16, 2016.

In the first ten months of 2016, Thailand exported US$339 million to South Korea, with top exports including seafood, sugar, processed seafood, canned fruit and processed chicken.

Issue 61

Rice exports from Thailand are not tainted with other substances, Commerce Minister Apiradi Tantraporn confirmed on January 6, following a Facebook post from the US claiming that rice from Thailand is mixed with plastic.

“Siam Grains, the exporter of the Jasmine rice brand mentioned on the social media site, is confident that its products are free from alien substances because it employs modern production and packaging technology,” said Tantraporn. “Thai rice is of the highest quality and it has to pass rigid quality inspection processes before being exported.”

The minister confirmed that the importers are considering taking possible legal action against the person who posted the video on Facebook.

Meanwhile, DITP Director-General Malee Choklumlerd rejected recent rumours that Thailand’s canned fruits have been contaminated with the HIV virus.

“The message is a hoax,” said Choklumlerd. “The HIV virus needs a human host cell to live and it does not live long outside the human body. Therefore, it is not possible for canned products to become contaminated with the HIV virus. Thai canned products are thoroughly inspected and are certified according to international standards prior to being shipped out.”