Lanka,Thailand to expand trade

By Gamini Warushamana

Bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and Thailand dates back to over thousand years, while there are cultural similarities linked with Buddhism between the two countries.

'There is a huge gap where trade between the two countries is concerned," said Deputy Director General of the Department of International Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Rattikui Chansuriya.

A high-level business delegation from Thailand arrived last week with the Prime Minister of Thailand, Yingluck Shinawatra. The Thai Prime Minister was on an official two-day visit to Sri Lanka.The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce organised a business event in Colombo and provided the opportunity to the Thai business delegation to meet their counterparts here.

Representatives from 30 private sector companies in Thailand and 100 Sri Lankan businessmen participated in the discussions. Rattikui Chansuriya said that the Thai business delegation represented seven business sectors.

“We are looking for business, trade and investment opportunities in the hotel and tourism , renewable energy, food processing, medical tourism, construction and gem and jewellery sectors. This is not a one- shot event and we will continue the dialogue and are expanding bilateral trade and investment,” she said.

During the visit, Thailand and Sri Lanka signed four agreements on tourism cooperation, science and technology, and on a visa waiver for officials and diplomatic passport holders.The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and the Thailand Chamber of Commerce signed an MoU to expand investment and business relations between the two countries.

An agreement on a sister-city partnership between Kandy in Sri Lanka and Ayutthaya in Thailand was also signed. The Thai business delegation visited several Sri Lankan companies including Thai manufacturing companies to study the investment climate in Sri Lanka.