Bangkok--Nov 9--Iidealist PR
The Italian Vice Minister for Producetive Activies, Adolfo Urso, will next week lead the biggest delegation of Italian companies to Thailand since the 1997 economic crisis, to explore investment opportunities here, Italian Ambassador Ignazio Di Pace Said.
Forty-one small and medium sized companies from various sectors including mechanical, textiles, environmental, energy saving and furniture, will meet potential Thai partners from November 10 to 12.
The visiting companies will include Merloni Progetti, an environmental company, Piave Maitex, a producer of fabrics for international lingerie brands, and Sasch, a garment company that has opened a shop at Central Chidlom and is looking for local subcontractors for the Sasch label.
Thai industries can be a hub for operations in Asia and (the country is) also a strategic market due to the free-trade agreements Thailand has with various
countries,” Di Pace said.
The ambassador said the delegation’s visit followed a Memorandum of
Understanding signed by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi during Thaksin’s visit to Rome in September last year.
Trade Commissioner to Thailand Flavia Farruggio said she expected meetings at the Four Seasons Hotel between the Italian trade delegation and Thai businessmen would produce another two or three such memoranda to promote economic ties and eliminate business barriers between the two countries.
Apart from the private sector meetings, the Italian minister, whose position is equivalent to foreign trade minister, will also meet Duputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister — Somkid Jatusripitak, They are expected to discuss political and economic issues such as business difficulties, intellectual property rights violations and Thailand’s investment regulations, which are seen as complicated. The gatherings should make Thai and Italian business operators more familiar with each other.
From January to September, Thai exports to Italy were worth Bt39.36 billion. Imports from Italy were valued at Bt33.02 billion.
Italian machinery and other exports still had potential for growth here, whereas there’s “a lot of room” in the Italian market for Thai garments and textiles.
For more information please contact:
Suneerat Ngernpoonsub.
Tel. 0-2509-0629, 01-614-0923
Fax. 0-2509-0629
Email: [email protected], [email protected] End.