Malaysia expo attracts Thais
During the International Trade Malaysia Exhibition this week, 16 Thai firms attended to seek trade and business partnership in that neighbouring country.
They were eager to tie up with Malaysian companies to strengthen trade and investment cooperation to serve the growth of manufacturing bases and markets under the Asean Economic Community.
Niqman Rafaee M Sahar, trade commissioner (counsellor) at Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade), said Malaysian and Thai firms saw increased opportunities under Asean integration in many industries, including food and beverages, rubber, auto parts, oil and gas, electronics, medical and healthcare services, and information and communications technology. Malaysia and Thailand exchange trade missions every month, he said.
Each country’s companies could look at the other country as a base for promoting production and trade.
Food is the key industry for both countries to tighten cooperation, as Thailand has plentiful supplies, while Malaysia has expertise in trading with third markets, particularly Muslim countries, and strong halal recognition worldwide.
Thailand still has strong potential to draw more investors from Malaysia, despite the flood that hit last year.
About 150 large Malaysian firms are based in Thailand. Malaysia investors will continue to seek new investment opportunities in Thailand, as the country has strong infrastructure development, Sahar said. However, Thailand needs to develop its human resources.
Intrade Malaysia is held annually not only to promote local traders, but also to offer a forum for the Asean trade community to showcase its products and businesses to the world, he said.
This year the three-day event, which started on Tuesday, attracted 450 exhibition booths, more than 500 international buyers and almost 9,000 trade visitors from 77 countries.
